Jericho
by Ripley10
Summary: May Nguyen is being blackmailed by a former Mercile employee. Her arrival at Reservation starts of a series of events that will put her at odds with New Species. Jericho has good reason not to trust humans. He's been assigned to guard May until New Species can transfer her to Fuller prison. He doesn't expect her to earn his trust, let alone his heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi Everyone! I've had some requests for a Jericho story- so here you go! I hope you enjoy it! Please review and critique- it's very very helpful. Also- for pronunciation purposes- the name "Nguyen" is pronounced sort of like "Winn." Thank you thank you! ~ Ripley**

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267 hissed, baring his teeth at the canine male who was pushed into his cage. The male had been given a drug earlier; even as a primate 267 could smell it. The male looked feral, there was no reason, no soul in his eyes.

267 watched warily, moving to the side, keeping the male in his line of sight, hissing to warn him off. The technicians watched from outside the cage. He could hear them cheering, making bets, calling out, revving up the male.

The male was growling, deep uncontrolled growls, as he stalked 267 around the cage.

He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to do this. He knew what was going to happen.

The canine male was a failure, one of the Wild ones, who looked more animal than human. 267 knew them, he'd been placed in cages next to them for most of his life. Because of his eyes. His eyes were too animal, a bright red, that with age had mellowed to burgundy. When he was very agitated, they darkened, but it was still the first things the new technicians and doctors noticed about him. The first thing that the females sent to him for breeding tests saw.

The male's eyes narrowed. 267 saw that his pupils had shrunk to pinpricks. He was getting ready to charge. 267 bent his knees and waited, and the male launched himself at him. He could hear cheering and felt the males sharp teeth fasten onto his arm. 267 roared. He didn't howl like the canines, his sound of anger was a combination roar and human scream, it never failed to disturb the humans listening.

267 flipped himself around. Rage made the male stronger, but 267 managed to wrap his arms around him. He inched his arm higher and higher until he could get it around the male's neck. Claws dug into his arm, but he didn't let go, he squeezed and squeezed until he was able to completely cut off the male's oxygen.

The technicians, who knew what he was doing, groaned, "Come on! 267 finish him!"

267 felt the change in the male, his entire weight deadened and dropped and he let him slide to the door.

"What'd I say?" one of them laughed, as the others threw their money at him, "I said it, he's going to put him out."

"Fuck," another one said, "I was sure he'd have no choice but to snap his neck."

"I'm out," one said angrily, and reached to his belt for his tranquilizer, "Step back 267," he said.

267 moved against the wall, hissing.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, and shot him.

267 felt darkness start to overtake him and he slid down the wall to the floor. His head hit the cement so he could see the canine, eyes closed like he was asleep.

He heard a pop and watched a pool of blood start to form around the male's head.

 _At least he never saw it coming,_ 267 thought, _I did that much._


	2. Chapter 2

**I should add that Jericho is the 4th story of the New Species** **fan fiction that I've been writing. While you don't have to read the other stories first, it may help to give you some background because those characters reoccur here, and they don't appear in LD's books. Thanks so much for reading! Please ready and review! ~ Ripely**

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May Nguyen's mother was dying. She sat next to her, holding her hand and watched the heart monitor register her mother's slowly beating heart.

Her hand felt light, like a sheet of paper, but it looked the same. May could close her eyes and she could picture her mother's hand; the shape of her nails, her knuckles, how it felt to hold her hand.

"May," her mother's voice was barely a whisper now.

"I'm here," she said, lowering her face so her mother could see her.

"May I did something," her mother said and May was horrified to see her mother start to cry. She hadn't even cried when she'd learned she was sick. Her mother never cried. She was tough, angry, ferocious: there was nothing soft about her mother.

"Mom?" May asked, a fear building in her chest.

"When I got to this country," her mother said in her accented voice, "I had nothing. I had no way to support you."

May knew this. She remembered the small apartment she and her mother shared with other new immigrants to America; their rooms separated by shower curtains.

"You did a good job, Mommy," May told her, trying to relieve her anxieties, "you took good care of me."

Her mother's eyes closed tightly, "May," she said, "You have to find her."

May was confused, "Find who, Mom?"

Her mother's eyes opened, her brown eyes blazing at her, "I had no choice. I was offered enough money to take care of you. To move away from the other refugees. To give you a life. So I took it. I took their drugs, and let them put the baby in me."

May's eyes opened wide. _Oh my god,_ she thought.

"Mom," May asked, "Did you give a baby up for adoption?"  
May's mother shook her head on the pillow, her hair rasping against the pillowcase, "No," her mother's voice was choked, "Worse. She was a beautiful baby. Dark hair, eyes like you. I had to hand her over to them. To the company, the one in the news, who had the animal babies."  
May's hand went up to her mouth, "Mom?" she breathed, "Did you give a baby to Mercile?"

May knew about Mercile. She was a medical student and had been in undergraduate university when the Mercile facilities were raided and all of the world was abuzz with the terrible things that Mercile had done: human/animal hybrids used as test subjects for pharmaceuticals, genetic modifications, breeding experiments. Her professors had debated the ethics of testing on animals. Her university had actually ended all animal testing, and May moved to focus from laboratory sciences to patient treatment.

Her mother nodded her head, tears streaming down her face now, "I didn't have a choice. They came and they took her. She was so perfect, May," her mother's breathing was coming faster and the machines around them were starting to beep.

A nurse came into the room and checked her IV, "Are you feeling pain Ms. Nguyen?" she asked, and she hit the button to dispense morphine.

Her mother's eyes started to close, "You have to find her May, please. Find out if she's still alive. Tell her I'm sorry," her mother's eyes closed and the beeps slowed to a normal rated, "Tell her I loved her."


	3. Chapter 3

May ran her hand through her hair in frustration and let out desperate, "ARGH!"

She wasn't getting anywhere in her search for her sister. Two years had passed since her mother had died and she was no closer to finding her than she had been when she started.

She'd started with the more obvious routes, but they'd still taken every ounce of her courage. First, she'd called New Species Organization, told them what her mother had said, and asked what she should do. The New Species who'd answered the phone had been friendly enough, but by the end of May's story, she could hear him growling through the phone. Then he had informed her that, while he realized she had nothing to do with her mother's choices, no New Species would want to know about their birth parent, because they had abandoned them to hell, and he'd hung up the phone.

May was shaking by the end of the phone call, the enormity of her mother's choice becoming clear for the first time. While intellectually she'd understood what New Species had gone through at the hands of Mercile, she'd never been faced with the impact of those actions on someone. She'd heard the New Species' pain through the phone and it broke her heart. She wanted to alleviate it, but there was no way to do that.

So she'd struggled with her mother's request, and she didn't make a move for a long time as she considered who would really benefit from it. Her upbringing had never had such strong sway with her before; she was beholden to her mother, she felt honor bound to obey her final request. But her mother was dead, and May wasn't sure that her mother was owed anything, whatever her reasons for working for Mercile had been.

Finally, she wrote a letter. She explained who she was, what her mother had said, and she'd included a hair and cheek cell sample. She told them, they could investigate if they wanted, she'd be happy to answer any questions they had. She told them what her mother had said, how she'd loved her baby and how sorry she was. She wanted to make excuses for her mother's choices, but she didn't. She kept it simple and she'd sent the letter.

And heard nothing.

Two years passed, and she heard nothing. Each week, month, and year that passed had only made May think about her sister more and more. Periodically, a new Mercile facility would be raided or a rogue doctor would be discovered with New Species still in confinement. Worse, were stories about Gift females. No human had ever seen one, but the reports said they were small New Species who had been given to Mercile's donors in gratitude for their huge investments in the company. If May's sister was a Gift female or a typical New Species female, her life had been pain-filled and unhappy.

And what if she was still in captivity?

She started having nightmares about being held down and poked and prodded, her skin on fire and her bones broken. She woke up sweating and crying, gasping for breath. Her first thoughts immediately about her sister; this was just her imagination, what if this was her sister's reality?

She collected information about Mercile. She went back to working in the lab at the hospital, taking a hiatus from medical school when it got in the way of her investigations. May followed newspaper articles about Mercile's shutdown, making note of the names of company officers, technicians, and doctors who'd been arrested. She started using public records to find out the names of their friends and family. She visited facilities; she spent every penny of her paycheck on these trips and any information she could get from acquaintances of the people listed in the stories. She didn't know what she was looking for, reassurance her sister was safe, perhaps, that she wasn't still being tortured by Mercile.

Her last lead had seemed promising. A technician's wife, under house arrest because she had known about Mercile and done nothing, told May that her husband had told her about an Asian looking New Species female. May had doled out her entire paycheck for that information, and that was the extent of it. The woman had claimed her husband had made a list of each New Species he came into contact with. Mercile referred to them by numbers and not names, and had described each New Species. If the New Species had been terminated there was a slash through the number. After giving her the money, the woman claimed she couldn't find the list, May was out of luck. It was a stupid move on May's part. Usually she paid out smaller installments of money, but she was so excited by the woman's claim. She didn't know what she would have done with the information once she'd gotten it, but that it was out there, made May desperate for it.

May shook her head, trying to refocus and push the intrusive thoughts to the back of her mind. She went back to work, running toxicology screenings when she heard her name being called by another person in the lab. She saw her supervisor pointing to her, and a man in a doctor's coat looking over at her before he started toward her.

The man was tall, blonde, and handsome, probably ten years older than May. He was dressed casually under the coat in dark wash jeans and a button down shirt.

"May Nguyen?" the man asked.

May nodded, and she saw his blue eyes scan her body, making her cross her arms over her chest.

"I'm Dr. Robert Walker. I'm a psychologist here in the hospital. I just wanted to thank you for the quick tox screen you had sent up to me today," he smiled at her.

"You're welcome," May said confused. Doctors never came into the lab unless it was to yell at them about how slow they were.

"Your supervisor told me that you have a break due," he said, tilting his head, "Can I take you for coffee?"

Warning bells went off in May's head, but she had been raised to be polite, above all else, and to be respectful of people in authority. He was definitely above her in the food chain, so even though she was wary and uncomfortable, she nodded, "Alright," she answered, "Thank you."

She stood up from her chair and grabbed her purse and phone before standing. Dr. Walker gestured to her to lead the way and he began to walk next to her.

"You've been working in the labs for two years now," Dr. Walker said.

May nodded, surprised that he knew that, "Yes," she answered.

Dr. Walker held the door to the canteen open for May, "But you were a medical student," he stated, "Why did you quit?"

May's stomach clenched for some reason; he knew entirely too much about her, "My mother died," she said, feeling compelled to answer, "I needed to focus on family things."

"Think you'll go back?" he asked, handing her a paper cup and nodding at her to go first in line to fill up the cup with coffee.

May shook her head noncommittally before filling her cup with decaf and lots of cream and sugar. She really hated coffee. May followed him to the register, but when she moved to get her wallet, Dr. Walker held out a hand, "It's on me," he said magnanimously.

May shrugged, "Thank you," she answered and took a sip before grimacing.

She followed the doctor to a table after he paid and continued to take small sips of her coffee, looking around the canteen as she awkwardly searched her mind for a topic of conversation.

"I have to admit, May," the doctor interrupted her thoughts, "I have an ulterior motive inviting you to coffee like this."

May put down her coffee cup and examined his face. He stared at her, and she noticed his blue eyes were much less friendly-looking now.

"Oh," she said, not really surprised.

"Yes," he said, looking down suddenly and taking out his phone, apparently distracted.

May waited for him to speak, but he didn't. He continued to stare at his phone and then turned it around to face her.

The world tilted and shifted until all May could hear was her heart pounding in her ears.

On the screen was a photo of a woman. She was beautiful. She had dark brown hair, long, almost to her waist, and pale skin. She was holding something in her hands, toward the camera.

"May?" a voice pierced through the fog of her brain, "May!"

It was Dr. Walker.

"Zoom in May," he told her, and May used shaking fingers to zoom in on the figure.

It was like looking in a mirror. It could have been a photo of May; it certainly would have fooled anyone who didn't really know her. The woman's face was the same oval shape as May's, except she had more pronounced cheekbones and her nose was a little bit flatter, her nostrils flared somewhat. She was staring at the camera, her teeth bared, and May could see tiny white pointed fangs. Her eyes, though, they were May's eyes, narrow almond shapes and dark. And in her hands was today's newspaper, the headlines that May had seen this morning visible as she zoomed in further.

May looked up at the doctor, shocked and horrified.

"I think you've been looking for her," he said, plucking the phone out of May's hands, his good humor returned. He leaned back in his chair like he hadn't a care in the world.

May tried to speak, "How?..." She cleared her throat and started again, "Where?"

"What, when, why?" he mocked, chuckling.

"You want her May," he said, leaning forward suddenly, a breath away from May's face, "and I've got her. You want her? You want me to let her go? You need to do something for me."

May clasped her hands in her lap, her entire body was shivering in fear, and she felt her teeth start to chatter.

"What do you want?" she whispered.

He shook his head, "Not now," he said, "I can't tell you now. This isn't the right place."

He stood up, pushing his chair back, "Wait!" May called, "No! This is the right place. Tell me what you want. You can have it. I can get money. I'll give you money for her. Whatever you want, just tell me and I'll get it."

"May," Dr. Walker smiled at her, a cold predatory smile, "I'm so glad you're amenable to an arrangement. Don't tell anyone about this conversation. If you do, I'll know, and I promise…" His threat hung in the air, "I won't kill her, but there are many things I will do worse than death. So. I'll be in touch," he started to leave, "Don't follow me," he warned over his shoulder.

May watched him leave. Her hands clenching and unclenching as she struggled not to follow. It was her worst nightmare come true. Her sister, her beautiful New Species sister, was still held in captivity, and she had no idea what to do next.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks everyone, for reading! As always, reviews and critiques are most appreciated!**

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May couldn't remember her trip back to the lab. She couldn't see past her worry, frustration and anxiety. She sat at her station, making stupid mistakes in her work and staring off into space.

She must have pulled out her cell phone half a dozen times, and press the button to ring NSO. But each time her thumb hovered over the button, she thought of Dr. Walker's warning. He would know, and then he would hurt her sister.

May looked Dr. Walker up on the hospital website. He had been working at the hospital for the last six years, but before that had been in private practice. Six years ago Mercile had been raided for the first time. That was where he had come from. May knew it. But how had he escaped with a New Species?

May buried her face in her hands and shut down the computer, getting her phone back out and pulling up NSO.

 _Just do it,_ she thought, _call them._

But her sister!

 _No,_ she decided. Her sister deserved a chance, and if May had to do something sick and twisted to get her free, she would. She'd lived twenty six years of a free, relatively happy life. Her sister had never had that. And she was all May had. No one would miss May if something happened to her. Maybe no one would miss her sister, but now that May knew she existed, she found that she'd sacrifice anything for her. Her sister, who had a face now, a body and soul. She had lived twenty four years in captivity, at the mercy of heartless scientists who saw her as nothing more than a lab rat. May wiped her face quickly as she felt tears spill down her cheeks. She stood up, grabbing her bag, and walking quickly to her supervisor's office.

"I'm sorry," she told her, "I'm really not feeling well. I probably shouldn't be around any samples right now, I'm afraid I'm going to sneeze on them."

May was surprised how easily the lie fell from her lips. It was the only thing her supervisor understood, compromising lab results, anything that could do that had to be avoided.

"Go on, May," she said, "I'll put in your sick time. You'll have to take the day because you haven't been here at least half your shift yet."

"That's fine," May replied, zipping up her coat, "Thanks."

"Feel better," her supervisor called after her.

May left the hospital quickly, rushing to the bus stop. She put her headphones in her ears and stood at the stop. She wasn't listen to anything, but knew from experience that it would stop anyone who might think about talking to her.

A ping in her ears signaled a text message and May looked down. She cried out when she saw the picture, making the man waiting next to her look at her quickly.

It was a picture of her sister. Her lip was bleeding, and underneath it, _Tell no one May. I can do much worse than this._

May understood. She didn't need to see anymore pictures.

 _Whatever you want,_ she wrote, _I won't tell anyone. Please don't hurt her._

A message came in quickly, _Good._

The bus arrived and May tripped her way up the steps. She leaned her head against the seat and chewed on her lips. She wanted everything to speed up; to get home, talk to Dr. Walker, do what he needed her to do.

But she had to be smart. She'd learned her lesson with that technician's wife. She needed to figure out a way to make sure he let her sister go after May followed his instructions. She quickly took screenshots of the text messages and sent them to both her personal and work emails.

May got off at her stop, nearly running to the motel where she was currently living. With all her money going to finding her sister, this was the most she could afford, and only as long as she just ate ramen.

She walked into the motel office, "Hey Esther?" she called out.

The orange-haired woman who owned the motel with her husband poked her head around the corner, "Hiya May!" she said cheerfully, "What can I do ya for?"

"Can I use your printer?" she asked.

"Sure," Esther said with a smile, popping her gum loudly, "I just got a new wireless one."

May searched for the printer on her phone, "Is it Hot Ernie?" she asked. Ernie was Esther's husband.

"Yup," Esther said, turning around and going back into her office.

May sent the pictures and text to the printer. She sent a screenshot of Dr. Walker from the hospital website as well. She pulled out the papers and folded them quickly, "Thanks Esther! I really appreciate it," she said.

"Anytime, Sugar," Esther called from the back office where she'd returned to watch _Teen Moms_.

She happened to look into the recycling bin as she walked out and saw an empty two liter jug of Moxie, Ernie's favorite drink to pair with his rum, and she snatched it up.

She turned her back to the door and rolled up the pictures, stuffing them into the container, like a ship in a bottle, and went into her room. She had to hide this somewhere.

This was all she had, but she hoped it was enough to scare Dr. Walker into releasing her sister. If he was from Mercile, his picture and the texts would be enough to get the NSO on his trail. They may even recognize him.

May tapped her finger against her chin while she looked around the sparse room. Finally she grabbed another sheet of paper, and wrote a quick description of what had happened. She put down Dr. Walker's name, what department in the hospital he worked, and a description of her sister. _Please find her,_ she wrote and ran back into the motel office.

"Sorry to keep bugging you Esther," she called out, "Mailman come yet?"

"Nope," Esther called out, "just put it in the basket."

May stuffed the sheets into an envelope and put the NSO's address on the front, then she stuffed the entire thing into another envelope and put Esther and Ernie's name on it, along with a hastily scrawled, "Please forward if something happens to me."

It was the most she could accomplish in the short time she had; she just hoped it was enough.


	5. Chapter 5

Jericho stood on the wall, like he did everyday. It was okay, though. He was free. The sun shown down on his face, he could walk back and forth, as far and as long as he wanted. If it was a little boring, that was fine. Boring was good at Reservation, it meant that they weren't being blown up or shot. It meant that his family was safe from humans.

He moved his head from side to side, cracking his neck and hoisting up his weapon. He shifted it to his back before grabbing his binoculars and searching the wall.

Each of Jericho's days had a purpose, a predictability and routine that comforted him and made him feel useful. He followed the safety pattern that Tiger had set up: walk, observe, stop, sight-in weapons, watch, repeat.

"Yo!" a voice called from below the wall.

Jericho grimaced, "Hello, Magic."

The feline jumped onto the wall, landing lightly next to Jericho, and smiling his million watt smile.

"What up?" he asked.

Jericho raised an eyebrow, not looking away from his watch, "Nothing. Perimeter clear."

"Perimeter clear," Magic mocked, doing what Jericho thought was a robot voice, "I meant with you, Dawg."

Jericho looked away for a second to stare at Magic, "Why are you talking like this?" he asked.

"I'm joining the human/ New Species Task Force, I'm learning different styles of speech so I can code switch," he said.

He started moving his hands in front of Jericho's face before Jericho swatted him away, "What is wrong with you?" he asked, going back to his routine.

"I was telling you 'hello, my name is Magic' in American Sign Language," he said, "Did you know Leo's mate was deaf before she was fitted with cyborg capabilities and now she can hear?" he asked, "Unless something happens to her computer chip, and then she can't, so I am learning sign because I will be able to communicate with her and others who can't hear," he added.

While Magic was going about it in a dumbass way, Jericho couldn't help but be impressed with his initiative, "Does Leo know you plan on communicating with his mate?"

"Noooo," Magic said slowly, "Doesn't matter anyway. He won't care."

Jericho snorted. He'd spent his youth with the feline male and other present residents of the Wild Zone until his eyes had darkened. He doubted very much that Leo would appreciate another male learning to communicate with his mate.

"Let me know how that goes," Jericho said, moving onto checking his weapon, then sighting-in his rifle.

"Did you just make a joke?" Magic asked, pretending to stagger back, and clutched his chest.

"Is there a reason you are bothering me today?" Jericho asked.

"Yeah," Magic said, smacking his forehead, "You're going to the wall in the Wild Zone," he said.

"Fine," Jericho said, "where?"

"Close to the entrance," Magic said, "Tiger's going to meet you there. There have been some threats against the young of mated pairs," he added, suddenly serious, "We're increasing the number of guards."

Jericho nodded, "That's fine. I'll go now."

Jericho moved his rifle to his back and jumped off the wall, sitting in the jeep that Magic had driven up.

"Hey!" Magic called down, "I'm still using that! I have a date later."

Jericho lifted his hand to his chest, making a fist and rubbing it against his uniform, sign language for "sorry," and drove off.


	6. Chapter 6

May perched on the edge of the bed, staring at her phone. A knock on the door made her jump. She approached it warily, looked out the peephole and saw a pretty blonde woman she didn't recognize there.

She opened the door, "Can I help you?"

The woman gave her a half smile, "May?" she asked.

May nodded, and the smile left the woman's face. She moved quickly, pushing May hard in the chest and following her into the room when May fell back.

She pulled a gun from behind her back and aimed it at May, "Don't move," she said, and with her other hand she put her phone to her ear, "I'm here," she looked around the room, "It's clear. No, no one followed me, and the men reported no New Species. Okay."

"Sit down," she told May, pointing with her gun to the bed.

May sat on the bed, her legs wouldn't have held her up much longer anyway.

A slight tap at the door got her attention, the woman went and opened it, and Dr. Walker came in, a baseball cap pulled down low over his face.

"May," he said, "I'm glad you followed my directions."

May nodded, not trusting her voice.

"May," he said politely, "This is Stephanie."

May looked at the woman, who rolled her eyes, "Jesus, Roger," she said, "It's not a cocktail party."

Dr. Walker narrowed his eyes at her before ignoring her completely and turning his attention to May, "Okay," he said, "I'm sure you're dying to know what's happening," he said, "so let me fill you in." He paused before continuing, "I need you to go to Reservation. You're going to follow the directions I give you, because I don't want you going in the front entrance."

May nodded.

"You're going to go to one of the more wild sections of Reservation. If the residents there don't kill you, you'll be brought into security. They'll be expecting you," he said.

May swallowed, his words repeating in her head over and over, "if they don't kill you, if they don't kill you."

"Okay," she said.

"You're going to tell them your name is Stephanie Taylor, and you're going to tell them you were a waitress at a banquet they had. You spiked their dessert with B-47, a breeding drug. The dessert was made by a fat blonde woman who was deaf. Now pay attention, May, this is really important. You hate them. They are animals who don't deserve to live. You have to say that. If you want to save your sister, you have to remember to tell them how much you hate them. You've been dating someone, Roger Werner, it was his idea to spike the dessert. He gave you the drugs that he bought with money he took from your trust fund, and you want to turn him in. But you still hate all New Species. You will not tell them your real name under any circumstances."

May clasped her hands in her lap. She was really really scared.

"My sister?" she asked, "How do I know you'll let her go?"

Dr. Walker clucked his tongue, "May," he said, "I promise."

"If I do this," she said, "They're going to kill me or turn me over to the authorities who are going to put me in jail," her voice shook, but her determination gave her courage, "It's a hate crime to threaten New Species. I will go to jail and I will never know if you did what you promised. You can kill me now or they can kill me later. I want to know my sister is free."

Dr. Walker smiled at her, his smile growing at each word she uttered, "May," he said, "You are something else. If I didn't need your help, I'd be tempted to like you." His face got serious again, his blue eyes cooling, "Here's what's going to happen," he said, "I'm going to let you talk to her. She'll tell you where she is and what's happening. I think it will alleviate your fears."

"I can talk to her?" May whispered.

"Yes," he said, pulling out his phone, and starting to dial.

"Here you go," he said, and turned it around to her.

Her sister's face filled the screen. May choked and her sister's eyes narrowed, "Who are you?" she asked.

May cleared her throat, and quickly wiped her eyes, "My name is May Nguyen," she answered, "What's your name?" she asked.

"917," her sister said angrily.

May's eyes closed when she heard the number, "Hi," she said, "Umm, where are you?"

"I am in a cage," her sister said, "The technicians moved me, and I am by myself in a cage. I can see the outside though, so that is different."

May nodded, "Can you get out?"

Her sister barked out a laugh, "No," she said.

May looked at Dr. Walker, "917," he called out, "press your thumb on the lock."

May could see her sister put the phone down, and then heard her walking, and the mechanical slide and clicks of locks disengaging, "It is open," her sister's breathless voice came out.

"This is what's going to happen," Dr. Walker said, "917," he called again, "There is another phone outside your cage. Do you have the other phone?"

May continued to watch the screen and her sister's face came back into view, "This?" she said, holding up another phone.

"Yes, 917," Dr. Walker said, "Now, slide your thumb across the bottom and press the red button."

May watched her sister's face, creased in concentration, as she manipulated the phone, "New Species Organization," she heard come over the line.

"Oh my god," May breathed, "Tell them!" she said quickly, "Tell them you're New Species, tell them to track the phone, and they'll find you!"

"I do not understand," her sister said, her eyes looking away from the screen at the phone she must have been holding.

"Please, 917," May begged, "please just tell them, tell them where you are, describe it, tell them your number, they'll believe you."

"New Species Organization," she heard the voice say again.

"Tell them!" she begged.

She heard her sister, "I am 917, I am in a cage. I was given a phone by a technician, I…"

The phone was plucked out of her hand by the doctor, who shut it off and put it back into his pocket.

"Okay?" he said, "It's going to take them a while to find her. But they will find her. You need to go now. If you don't arrive at the gate in thirty minutes... " He let the threat hang in the air, "We're equally far apart. It's a crap shoot. They could get her, or I could get her."

May stood up quickly, "My name is Stephanie Taylor. I hate New Species. I dated Roger Werner, who emptied out my trust fund, in order to buy a breeding drug. I spiked a dessert with B-47, the breeding drug, at a banquet where I was a waitress, and I hate New Species. I'm going to the back entrance of Reservation, where, if I'm not killed, then I'll most definitely be arrested."

"Excellent," Dr. Walker said, "I suggest you run along." He threw some keys are her, "Take my car," he said, "The bus doesn't go to Reservation."


	7. Chapter 7

Jericho saw the dark model sedan approach the back gate slowly, stopping just before the entrance. He heard a howl and a roar from behind him, a sign that a few of the Wild Zone residents had noticed their visitor.

"This is Jericho," he radioed in, "I've got action at the back gate. Request backup."

"Got it Jericho," he heard Tiger answer, "we're headed to you."

Jericho stood on the wall, watching the car idle. It turned off and the door opened slowly. With the glare from the sun, he couldn't see if there was a male or female driving. Nor could he see if there was more than one person in the car.

He shouldered his weapon and raised it, clicking off the safety, "Keep your hands up and exit the vehicle slowly."

Jericho saw two small hands lift above the door, and then a small girl exited the car; she had to be just a girl, because she didn't look a day over twenty.

"I'm alone," she called out, and stepped away from the vehicle, keeping her hands in the air.

Jericho heard an enraged roar behind him and realized that someone had picked up the scent of a human. Shit!

He jumped off the wall, and started slowly to the car.

"You're alone?" he asked angrily.

The girl nodded quickly, looking up into Jericho's eyes, "I'm alone. My name is Stephanie Taylor, security is expecting me," she called out.

Jericho didn't take his finger off the trigger, but he felt disarmed by her. She looked directly into his eyes and didn't flinch, didn't show any discomfort. He tore his gaze off of her reluctantly and moved a bit closer to the car, trying to refocus. He needed to go back to his routine, to complete the expectations that were associated with this sort of event. There was no time for personal thoughts. This wasn't about him, this was about keeping New Species safe. It didn't matter if this girl was little more than a teenager, that she was female, and that she didn't stare at him like he was some kind of freak. Jericho studied the car without going closer, and felt relief that, now that he was on the ground, he could see that it was empty.

The girl cleared her throat, "Do you want me to pop the trunk?" she asked.

While not having the scent ability of felines and canines, his sense of smell was still much more advanced than other primates. He could smell her nervousness, and overlaying that, the scent of other humans: a male and another female. They had been in contact with the girl, and most likely had been in the car, though they weren't there now.

"No," he answered, "put your keys on the ground and step away from them."

The girl, Stephanie, put the keys on the ground, following his directions to a "t."

Jericho heard a howl, felt the air shift, and heard the neat landing of a body next to him. Jericho shifted his stance, pulling himself up to his full height so the New Species didn't see him as an easy target. Jericho didn't recognize the canine male next to him. His eyes were yellow, and his hands, that were curled to fight, had black claws: he was definitely a Wild Zone resident from the look of him.

As the canine stood to his full height, he breathed in. "Werner," the male hissed and leapt at the girl.

She went down under his assault, and cried out. It took Jericho a second of surprised shock to react, before he leapt forward himself, dragging the male off the girl.

"Back off," Jericho hissed, angry that the male had made him break protocol.

"He hasn't mounted her," the male ground out huskily, "but I can smell him."

Jericho swallowed the sick feeling that was rising up in his stomach along with the memories that the name Roger Werner conjured. He knew Roger Werner. He had been an exceptionally cruel psychologist at the facility where Jericho had been kept. Though Jericho certainly wouldn't call himself lucky, he had managed to escape most of Werner's notice. Instead, Werner had taken a special interest in Leo, and designed most of his sick experiments to include the feline. Once Jericho had been transferred to a facility away from the New Species "failures," he hadn't seen Werner again.

Stephanie sat up slowly. Jericho could smell the blood from scrapes she must have incurred falling backward, but she didn't complain. In fact, she didn't say anything. He could smell her fear and nervousness, but she didn't cry; in fact, her entire posture was one of resignation.

The canine crossed his arms and stared at Stephanie, "I'm not leaving," he said, "I want to know what's going on."

Jericho nodded and sighed, realizing he would have a battle on his hands if he tried to make the male leave, "Just don't kill her, okay?"

The male smiled, sharp teeth and long fangs visible, "No promises," he said, "especially if she's part of Werner's group."

Stephanie kept her hands with palms outstretched, only shifting from foot to foot, but not moving otherwise. If she heard the male, she didn't say anything, just continued to look off into the distance. Jericho didn't like it. He didn't like the distance that the girl seemed to keep between what was happening and her reactions to the events. It reminded him too much of his own reactions when in captivity, of the disconnect he'd tried to keep between his body and his mind.

"Tiger's here," the male said, and a second later, Jericho heard the jeep.

It roared down the road in a cloud of dust and screeched to a halt, skidding in the dirt.

"Stephanie Taylor?" Tiger asked, jumping out of the jeep.

Jericho saw the girl hesitate, just momentarily, but then nod, "Yes."

"What the hell do you think you're doing coming to the back gate? I told you to go to the front, through security there," he yelled at her.

Stephanie flinched, but then Jericho saw her stand up straighter, "Yes," she answered.

"Yes?!" Tiger seemed enraged, "Like I have time for idiot humans who seem to be trying to get themselves killed. You seen that male over there?" he said pointing to Jericho, "He would have been totally justified in shooting you. And the other male? He could have ripped your throat out and then continued on with his day."

The girl's face paled, but she just nodded her head, "I understand," she answered quietly.

Tiger pulled handcuffs out of his belt and approached her, "Have you searched her yet?" he asked Jericho.

"No," Jericho replied, raising his weapon so Tiger could search her.

He watched Tiger swiftly and efficiently pat her down before pulling her hands behind her back and securing the handcuffs. She winced slightly, as if they pinched, but again, didn't make a sound. As he turned her around, two more jeeps pulled up to the entrance.

"Jericho," Tiger said "Book and Jinx are taking over for you. I want you to accompany me to security with Ms. Taylor."

Jericho nodded.

"She smells of Werner," the canine said suddenly, "Keep her out of here. I want to kill her. If anyone else scents her, they will too," he added before jumping back over the wall and disappearing into the forest.

"I guess you got lucky, Ms. Taylor," Tiger said, leading her to the jeep and pushing her into the back seat.

As if she couldn't help it, Stephanie made a sound between a laugh and a sob, before biting her lips and looking away from Tiger.

Jericho sat in the front with Tiger. He was confused. Everything about this girl was a contradiction. She smelled of a Mercile doctor who had tortured New Species. She was scared, but polite. Jericho was disconcerted; he didn't know what was going on, but he didn't like it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you, everyone, so much for continuing to read the stories I post here! I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me. And when you review and comment? That's the absolute best. Thank you thank you (did I mention, thank you?).**

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May sat uncomfortably in the back seat as the jeep bounced over potholes and washed out spots of dirt runoff. She didn't say anything. Each bounce dug the handcuffs into her skin, until it felt like the metal had direct contact with her bone. She focused on the physical discomfort, breathing through her fear. Her sister may be free even now. They could have picked her up. She might be on her way to Homeland.

May took a deep breath. It was worth it. She had survived so far. When the wild looking male had jumped on her, hitting her with hundreds of pounds of angry male, she had closed her eyes and thought, _this is it._ But it wasn't.

May shifted her focus to the New Species in the passenger seat, the one with the burgundy eyes whose entire being screamed, "by the book."

She liked him. If she wasn't on her way to jail, or death, she would like to figure out what his DNA was mixed with. He didn't have the features of felines or canines she'd seen on t.v. Of course, he was an absolutely huge New Species. His shoulders were wider than the man he sat next to, and his chest stretched out the uniform he wore to such a degree that May wondered if it was actually comfortable.

His eyes were certainly his most striking features, but all of his features, taken together, were attractive. He had a generous nose, not overly large, but it definitely fit his face. He had wide nostrils and very plump lips. May ran her tongue across her dry lips. She knew women who paid thousands of dollars for lips like his.

He had pronounced cheekbones, and dark brown eyebrows that slashed straight across his forehead, giving him an overall sculpted appearance. May felt a wave of sadness; this beautiful man was going to hate her in about fifteen minutes. May wondered if she could do it, if she could say the things she was supposed to say. But then she thought of her sister. She could do anything if it meant her sister was free.

They arrived at the front entrance of Reservation more quickly than May had hoped and were waved right through. The New Species driving the jeep parked it quickly and opened her door, pulling her out of the back none too gently.

May sucked in a breath when he wrenched her shoulder and made pain zing through her wrists, but she quickly bit her lip. She didn't want to make them feel worse than she was about to make them feel. She knew that she was the enemy, and she didn't resent his anger and frustration

May saw the guard from earlier get out of the jeep. He walked ahead of them, opening the door for the guard who held her arms and then leading them into what must be the security building.

"What room?" he asked the other man.

"Basement," was the reply.

 _Well, that didn't sound good,_ May thought. Her thought was confirmed by the quick look that passed between the New Species.

They descended down steps into the basement. The temperature was noticeably cooler. The guard with the lovely eyes opened a door and waved them through. The room was tiled and monochromatic. May saw a two-way mirror and, she swallowed hard, a drain on the floor. May had never been purposely hurt before, she wondered if she could stick to her story if they hurt her. She hoped so.

The guard holding her arms sat her in a chair and moved across the table.

"I am Tiger," he said, "Tell me why you are here."

May took a deep breath. This was it.

"My name is Stephanie Taylor," May answered, "I was a waitress at the banquet you had here at Reservation."

"I was involved with Roger Werner," she continued, taking a deep breath, "he used money from my trust fund to buy a drug, B-47. That's a breeding drug."

Tiger waited.

May tried to remember everything she was supposed to say. The only thing she could really remember…

"Our plan was to put the drug in a cake, but the girl who made it caught us."  
"Describe her," Tiger interrupted.

"Blonde," May remembered Walker describing the baker. She had to say so many awful things already she just couldn't do it, "Curvy, and we thought deaf."

Both New Species watched her closely, but Tiger's eyes narrowed. He looked over at the other, "Jericho," he said, "Please call Darkness. I would like him here please."  
"We'll be right back Ms. Taylor," Tiger told her, standing up.

 _I'm not going anywhere,_ May thought.


	9. Chapter 9

May wanted to crawl under the table when two different New Species entered the room. The first had white hair, beautiful long white hair and piercing blue eyes. The second was dark. Everything about him was dark. Dark hair, dark eyes, dark skin. He looked at her and through her, as if he could read her thoughts. May felt herself begin to panic. She didn't know what was about to happen, but she feared she wouldn't be able to continue her deceit.

Tiger entered behind the two New Species, and behind him was Jericho, the guard whose name she had just learned when he was told to get one of these individuals.

Tiger pointed, "This is Snow and this is Darkness," he told her.

Any other time May would have smiled, their names were so incredibly apt, "I'm going to let them take over the questions," he told her, "be honest."

May nodded and watched him leave. Jericho stood, his arms crossed.

"Ms. Taylor," Darkness said, and then repeated, "Ms. Taylor. Look at me. Only at me, do you understand?"

 _Crap!_ May thought, her reaction delayed because she was paying attention to Jericho and not focusing on responding to her fake name.

"Ms. Taylor?" he said.

"Yes," May answered, "I'm sorry. Yes, I understand."  
Darkness narrowed his eyes at her, "Tell me your story. From the beginning."  
"I spiked the dessert with the breeding drug, B-47," she said.

"Yes," Darkness said, "You mentioned that. What does a breeding drug do?"

May hesitated. She had no idea what the drug did, "It's a fertility drug?" she said.

"If it's a fertility drug, Ms. Taylor," Darkness said "why would you spike all of our desserts. You must know that New Species can't have children."  
"I.." May stuttered, "I don't know. I'm sure Roger Werner had a reason."  
"You were in a relationship with Roger Werner?" he asked her.

"Yes," May said.

"Are you still?"

May paused. _Damnit._ She was messing this up, big time. They were going to know she was lying and then her sister would be killed.

"No," May answered, remembering the part about the trust fund suddenly.

"Why would you give drugs to New Species?" Darkness asked, watching her closely. He eyeballed the other New Species, Snow, the one with the white hair. He moved closer to May and then, before May could blink, had his hand around her throat, and had put her on her back on the table. He kept his hand on her throat and snarled in her face.

"No lies," he threatened.

May felt her heart pounding. When she looked in this man's eyes, she saw nothing, absolutely nothing. With her hands still pinned behind her back, May couldn't pull his hands off of her throat. She was completely vulnerable to whatever they decided to do to her.

"I.." her voice stuck, "I hate New Species."

Snow's eyes widened and she heard a growl, and then a hiss from inside the room.

His hand tightened on her throat, "Why, Ms. Taylor," he asked, his fingers pressing on her carotid artery, "Why do you hate New Species?"

May was too scared to answer. _Remember, remember._ She couldn't remember why, _what had Walker told her?_

"I just," May choked out, "I hate them."

Snow snarled at her, moving his face closer to hers, "What is your plan?"

"My plan?" May asked, confused.

Abruptly, Snow released her, pacing away from her. Darkness hadn't left his chair. He had crossed his arms and was sitting back, observing her. Jericho, on the other hand, looked agitated. His weapon was held loosely, but his torso was thrust forward, like he wanted to move and was willing himself to stay in place.

"Jericho," Darkness said over his shoulder, "Leave."  
May looked at him, sadly. He must hate her now, but it was the way it had to be.

"She is very small," Jericho said, suddenly.

Darkness didn't look at him, "Leave, Jericho."

Jericho stood for another moment, then, as if releasing pent up rage, kicked a nearby chair and slammed out of the room. May jumped and Darkness stood up. May had slid shakily into the chair, but as he loped around the table toward her, she stood up again.

"Ms. Taylor," Darkness said, his voice low and smooth, "You are lying. I don't know why you are lying, but…"  
"Darkness!" Tiger opened the door, interrupting them, "We need to go to the Wild Zone. NOW!"

Darkness leapt away from May, not asking any questions. May's body shook and she took a wobbly step backward when her knees threatened to collapse. Her back touched the hard chest of Snow.

"I guess it's just us," he said and put a hand on her shoulder, spinning her to face him.

May swallowed, her hands clenching in the handcuffs as Snow tilted his head to look at her. She didn't like the way he was examining her, like he was looking for a weakness, a soft spot he could exploit.

He moved fast, faster than any human could move, picking May up and throwing her back onto the table. Her head smacked into the steel top, making her teeth slam together and bite her tongue. She felt her mouth fill with blood. She swallowed and gagged at the taste.

With one hand, Snow grasped her throat, but he ran the other slowly down her body.

"There are ways," he said, watching the progression of his hand, "that a female's body can ache without being in pain."

May felt his hand on her stomach, the heat from his skin burning hers. His fingers dipped under the waistband of her jeans. One long finger teasing the elastic band of her underwear. May tried to jerk her hips away, turning her body to the side. It made him move his hand, but he just gripped her hip and pressed it hard into the table. With one move, he slid between her legs, pressing his body against her core and leaning over her. His face was so close to hers that she could see all the shades of blue in his eyes, and that his hair wasn't white, but a thousand different colors of yellow and silver. May bit down on her lip, trying to keep her cries from escaping. She saw Snow's nostrils flare as he breathed in her scent. His head lowered to her neck, and she felt his teeth lightly trace the cord in her neck.

"I could just bite down," he whispered in her ear, ever so softly, "I could bite down just a little, and you would bleed out. Don't make me do that." He pulled back so he could look in her face.

May shook her head at him.

"No?" Snow said, "No, don't rip out your throat? Don't hurt you even though you have said you hate my people? That you hate them enough to poison them?"  
May shut her eyes against his words, tears leaking out the sides despite her best attempts to keep them back.

She felt him press his hips into her core. She could feel his arousal. He moved slowly, thrusting into her gently, and May cried out, "Stop!"

She was prepared for death, for torture, but she wasn't prepared to be raped. The word was torn from her lips, but then she pressed them together. _Whatever you have to do,_ she told herself, _whatever you have to do to get her free._

May heard the door slam open behind her and a deep angry voice growled, "Enough. Stop it. I will not allow you to force mount her."  
Snow's eyes flickered up to take in the person that had just entered the room, but he didn't move.

"Go away, Jericho," he said quietly, warningly, "I am doing my job."

He thrust into her once more, and then suddenly, his entire weight left her body.

"I said, enough," Jericho ground out.

May turned her body to the side, wanting to curl up into herself until she could disappear completely.

She felt new hands, gentler hands, lift her up and seat her in the chair.

"We will wait here for Darkness, as he would have told us had he not left so abruptly," Jericho said.

May sniffed, and rubbed her face on her shoulder, trying to dry her tears. She didn't know if she was messing everything up. She had no idea what Walker's plan was. _How long did she need to do this? Why didn't they just kill her or send her to jail? What did they possibly think she could tell them?_

"Go," Jericho told Snow.

Snow took one more long, meaningful glance at May, and slowly walked to the door, opening it quietly, and exited.

"Do not speak to me," Jericho said, getting May's attention, "I do not want to hear your voice, human."

May felt sadness envelop her, it was what she expected. She looked down at the floor, and nodded her head. She would wait for what was to come. There was nothing else she could do.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Jericho had broken rules in the past; for his friends, he'd do anything. But not for humans. He didn't break rules for humans, so when he watched Snow interrogate Stephanie, he tried to remain unaffected. He saw her fear, and when she had cried out in a small, scared voice, he had reacted without thinking.

"Do not speak to me, human," Jericho ground out, "stay where you are and do not move."

She took a short shuddering breath, and rubbed her face on her shoulder before nodding.

Jericho could still hear her words, echoing in his mind, "I hate New Species."

It didn't ring with truth, but why would a human surrounded by New Species, make such a comment unless it was true? She hated him. Not because he was an asshole, or rude, but because he was New Species, something for which he had say.

"Jericho!" the door opened and Field stuck his head in the room, "You are relieved."

Jericho nodded, sparing one last glance at Stephanie, and went out the door.

Stephanie didn't look at him as he left, and he couldn't help slamming the door behind him. _Of all the ungrateful…_

"Jericho?" it was Snow.

Jericho stopped, waiting for him to continue. Snow sighed and linked his hands about his head, "Can we talk?"

Jericho nodded, following him into the room attached to Stephanie's. He saw that Snow was continuing to monitor them, a file was open on the table along with a yellow pad of paper with handwritten notes.

Jericho crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, "Proceed."

Snow sighed, "I wasn't going to force mount her," he began.

"I know that," Jericho said, "but you were threatening it. And you were aroused. I could see that."

Snow's face flushed, "I have been training with Darkness," Snow explained, "to take over his job as human interrogator, specifically, interrogating female humans."

Jericho waited.

"She is a threat," Snow said bluntly, "I will use whatever measures are at my disposal to keep us safe. She is lying. I know she is lying, but I don't know to what extent she lies. I had my hand on her pulse, she was lying the entire time she talked about the banquet. What is she hiding Jericho?"

Jericho relaxed his posture. He hadn't understood what Snow was doing, though he had been part of interrogations before. He remembered Brass's interrogation of Lauren, before she had mated with Wrath. He had lifted her off the ground and slammed her into a table, but she'd never been injured, only scared.

He could smell Stephanie's blood, but he hadn't see any bruises or cuts.

As if he could follow his train of thoughts, "She bit her tongue," Snow explained, "It was not my intention to hurt her."

"She was terrified," Jericho said, sitting down in a chair, "but she also seems without emotion at times. I do not understand what is happening. She seems very young to be involved with such dangerous people."

"Stephanie Taylor is thirty years old," Snow said, and then turned around a folder to show to Jericho.

A picture of a beautiful blonde woman was clipped to the inside page with a list of biographical information along the other side: birthday, weight, height, criminal record, bank statements.

"Who is this?" Jericho asked, looking up in confusion to Snow.

"That," Snow told him, "is Stephanie Taylor."


	11. Chapter 11

_Hello Everyone~ I just wanted to apologize that my posts have been so short- only a chapter at a time. Thank you so much for sticking with Jericho. Ever since LD introduced him, I've been coming up with his story. Thanks again for your patience! ~ Ripley_

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The room May sat in grew colder and colder and she started to shiver. Her mouth was throbbing and her shoulders ached. She wanted to cross her arms to conserve her body heat, but with her arms restrained she was out of luck. She tried to pull her knees to her chest, and she was small enough that she could. She leaned her head on her knees, waiting. It was all she could do. Whatever was about to happen was completely out of her control.

The door slammed open and she jumped, putting her feet on the floor to keep her balance.

"Who the hell are you?" May cringed when she saw Snow, and brought her knees back up to her chest, trying to make herself a smaller target.

"What do you mean?" May said, dread blossoming slowly through her body.

Snow slammed a folder down in front of her, the sides folded back so all she saw was a picture. It was the woman who had arrived at her door with Dr. Walker.

May felt the blood drain from her body as she stared at the picture.

"Who is she?" slipped from her lips before she could stop herself. May bit her lips and closed her eyes.

"Ms. Taylor," Snow said slowly, "Let's stop lying, please."

A thought intruded into May's consciousness as she stared at Snow. _Where was Jericho?_ She shook her head as it passed through her mind. It didn't matter where Jericho was. He hated her and with good reason. He had stared at her with such hurt in his eyes when he had told her not to speak to him. May wished so hard that she could tell them the truth.

Even to Snow.

He was just trying to protect New Species. She didn't like his tactics, that was for damn well sure, but she understood what he was doing. Wasn't she doing the same by lying to protect her sister?

"Okay," she told him. It didn't matter what she said, she still had to lie.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Stephanie Taylor," she answered.

"Where do you live?" he asked.

"Northern California," she answered.

His eyes narrowed, "Be specific."

"San Francisco."

"How did you meet Roger Werner?"

May thought about it, "I met him at an anti New Species rally," the words tasted like ash in her mouth.

Snow's face got red, she could see him getting angry, but a moment later he seemed to collect himself, "Really?"

"Really," she answered.

"What was your job at the banquet?"

"Waitress."

"Who left you the trust fund?"

"My grandparents," May said.

She was just making stuff up now. It was a lot easier to make it up.

Snow sat down, across from her, leaned back and crossed his arms.

"What does Roger Werner look like?" he asked.

May swallowed. She had no idea what Roger Werner looked like, "Tall?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Snow said mockingly.

"Telling?" May said, then realized she'd raised her pitch at the end of her answer, "Telling."

"Where are you from?" he asked.

 _Crap,_ May thought. What had she said? She couldn't remember and felt herself begin to panic as she tried to recall her answer, _Was it San Francisco? Or was it Sacremento? Or was it Berkley? Crap._

"It's not a hard question, Ms. Taylor," Snow said patiently, uncrossing his arms and leaning forward.

"I…" May tried to remember.

Snow moved before she could blink, lifting her up out of the chair and moving backward with her until her back hit the wall. He lifted her by her elbows until she was eye to eye with him.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

May tried to refocus, but the handcuffs were digging into her wrists and the way that he was lifting her by her elbows made her arms twist, making her feel like her shoulder could be dislocated.

He gave her a little shake as she continued to be silent, "Who. Are. You?"

She bit down on her lips, wanting to answer, but afraid she'd cry out in pain if she opened her mouth, "Ss.." she tried to say, "Ss.. Sstephanie Taylor," she finally got out.

He gave her a look of disgust and lowered her down to the ground. Her legs gave out as her feet hit the floor, and she landed hard on her bottom.

Snow looked concerned for a second, before wiping the emotion from his face. May took a deep shuddering breath and looked down at the ground, not wanting to see what was coming next.

She heard the door open and a deep voice said, "Enough." May looked up and stared in wonder at Justice North, who stood looking at her with emotionless eyes. "It doesn't matter who she is. If she doesn't want to tell us, we'll take her at her word. She is Stephanie Taylor. She attempted to drug New Species, and she was sent in tonight to distract us. I'm done with this bullshit. I'm ordering her transferred to Fuller."


	12. Chapter 12

"Jericho?" Justice asked, "Are you able to guard her?"

Jericho nodded. He was nearing the end of his eight hour shift, but the other officers had mates. He didn't have anyone waiting for him. He could easily work another eight hours.

"I didn't mean that," Justice said,watching him closely, "Snow told me that you intervened in his interrogation. Can you remain detached and watch her?"

Jericho ground his teeth together, "I can handle it," he said, "I can remain professional with her, despite the fact that she hates us."

"Does she?" Justice asked.

Jericho stared at him. Apparently Justice had the same doubts that he and Snow were struggling with.

Justice shrugged, "Fuller is sending transport in the morning. Just make sure she stays out of trouble until then."

"Fuller?" Jericho asked, and then shut down his emotions. He didn't care if she was sent to Fuller. It shouldn't matter to him.

But…

She was so small and so young. She would not last in Fuller. She would be targeted by some of the worse inmates or she would kill herself. Jericho could see it slowly breaking her down until she felt she had nothing to live for.

"Fine," Jericho added quickly in case Justice could sense his inner conflict, "It's fine. I'll take care of her until morning."

Justice nodded and left him standing in the observation room. He watched Stephanie, or whoever she was. She still sat on the floor where Snow had left her. She'd pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her cheek on her knees. Every once in a while she would roll her shoulders, like she was trying to stretch, but she just sat there. He hated that his heart went out to her, it made him angry. If it was up to her, or what she claimed, he would be the one sitting in the cell.

Jericho rolled his own shoulders. _Get your head on straight,_ he thought to himself and walked back into the interrogation room.

Stephanie looked up at him, "Hi," she said quietly, and all his intentions to stay detached went out the window.

"I'm transferring you to a cell," he said, "Don't resist."

"I won't," she said, as if reassuring him.

He helped her stand by gripping her upper arms. She weighed next to nothing, and if he'd grabbed her any harder, he probably could have launched her over his shoulder.

She stepped away from him after standing, but he kept a hand on her arm. He guided her outside of the room and down the hall. They went through an additional set of doors and began descending a flight of stairs before reaching the cells. Jericho had thought they were empty, but there was one person there, as well as an additional New Species guard whose job it was to be in charge of the cells.

"Jericho," Pounce, the feline male, said, "She can go here, next to the other prisoner."

Jericho looked into the cell of the other prisoner. It was a male, drunk by the smell of him, "Fuckin' animals!" the human yelled out, "Do you know who you're messin' with?"

The man caught sight of Jericho and jumped back, actually gripping the wall behind him as he tried to distance himself, "Get away from me!" he cried out, "Hey you! Animal!" he called to Pounce, "Get him away from me! He's a demon! Look at him! He's got red eyes!" The man started crying as he slid to the floor.

"Idiot," Pounce rolled his eyes.

Jericho shrugged, but couldn't help the embarrassment coursing through his body. He looked at the cell to which Pounce had pointed and realized that she would only be separated from the drunken human by a set of bars.

"Put her in one of the other cells," Jericho directed, "Not next to him."

Pounce shrugged, and walked down the hallway, leading them to the cells further down the hall.

As Stephanie walked by, the man stood up, "He-ro!" he called out, rushing to the cell door, "Hey baby. You give sucky sucky?" He grabbed his crotch and made kissing noises toward her.

Stephanie shrunk to the side, not making eye contacts, though Jericho could see her cheeks blossom with pink. He was right, she would never last at Fuller.

Pounce opened up the door to the cell and began calling out directions to Stephanie, each directive made her shrink further into herself, though she continued to follow each step. She moved until her back faced the door, and then, when Pounce ordered her to, she moved backward until her hands could grip the bars. He unlocked her handcuffs and then told her she could step away from the cell doors.

Jericho heard her breathing raggedly. She didn't turn around, and he saw her wiggling her fingers. Her arms were still pulled back a little bit, and she moved them forward, inch by inch. He realized that she'd been in those handcuffs for hours, and was probably so stiff that she couldn't move her arms without pain. He watched her struggle for a moment until he couldn't take it anymore.

"Come to the door," he told her.

He saw her take a deep breath before she wiped her face on her shoulder and turned around. She was crying, and she was in pain. Her fear and sadness was so sharp that Jericho could smell it, but she didn't say anything, just walked forward and stopped at the door.

"Turn around," he told her, his voice deeper and harsher than he intended.

She turned around, waiting. Something about the way she followed his directions without question, stirred a strange feeling inside him. He reached through the bars until he could touch her shoulder. He began to massage them, rubbing down her arms in order to restore blood flow and release some of the stiffness of her joints. He pressed hard, but not too hard, and she groaned. The sound went directly to Jericho's dick and he had to step back.

Stephanie pulled her arms forward, lifting one hand slowly so she could massage her shoulder, "Thank you," she said quietly, moving her other hand and massaging her other shoulder. She walked away toward the only wall that was solid. There was a metal bench in the cell: that was it. Jericho saw her glance at it as she walked by, and put her hand on it. She shivered and removed her hand quickly.

Then she went to the back wall, leaned against it, and then slowly slid to the ground. She didn't look at Jericho again.


	13. Chapter 13

May sat on the ground and waited. She could still feel Jericho's fingers on shoulders, strong and sure. And the way he had told her what to do. She didn't think, she just moved, and it had felt nice to be taken care of.

Then she started thinking about what Justice North had said. She was being sent to Fuller. She assumed it was a prison nearby, but she didn't know any of the names of California prisons, well, except for the ones in Johnny Cash songs. She picked up her head and looked at Jericho, who was sitting in a chair across from her cell.

"Is Fuller a prison?" she asked.

Jericho looked at her, his wine colored eyes staring at her seriously, "It is," he said in a low deep voice.

He continued to look at her, and May felt her eyes lower under his perusal. She snuck a look back up and saw that he continued to stare at her.

"A woman's prison?" she asked, "Will I have to go to court? Get a lawyer?"

She didn't know why she was asking him, but she assumed that was how it worked. She'd go to jail, she'd get a lawyer, there'd be a hearing, she'd get bail, a court date, and then there would be a trial and she'd go to prison again.

Jericho shook his head, "No," he answered seriously, "it is a human prison."

May tried to make sense of his words, _a human prison?_ "I don't understand," she finally admitted.

"It is a prison run by humans but governed by New Species. It is the place where we sent the Mercile doctors, administration, investors, and technicians who tortured us. It is the place where we send the humans who try to hurt or kill us. There is no trial, there is no guilt or innocence. It is completely separate from the human justice system. It is New Species justice," he said all of that without a trace of emotion.

May felt her stomach sink lower and lower as he explained. She was going to jail and she would never come out. No one would ever know where she was, not that there was anyone who would care, and she would stay there as long as New Species wanted her there.

"Will I be there forever?" she asked, wondering what was worse, death or a life surrounded by sadistic bastards who got their jollies out of torturing people.

Jericho shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know," he answered, "That is up to our council to decide."

May nodded, she assumed that meant it was up to Justice North, who she had royally pissed off. She would be there forever if the look in his eyes was any indication.

She thought about her sister, and wondered…

"If a New Species is found, do they tell all New Species?" she asked.

Jericho narrowed his eyes at her but didn't answer.

"I mean," she said, "Would you find out? Do they introduce you to new people, I mean New Species, if they find a hidden facility or something?"

He continued to watch her, but didn't answer. May guessed that meant he wasn't going to.

"I just…" May said hesitantly, "I wondered if they made New Species welcome when they were discovered. If they found a way to help them get used to being free. If they found them friends or if there was someone to take care of them?"

The question wasn't out of nowhere; she worried about her sister, and when she went away to Fuller, she would never know if she was alright. She knew her sister must have been abused and tortured, and she wanted to make sure that she would have all the help she needed to adjust to freedom. She wanted to make sure there would be someone looking out for her, that she wouldn't be left on her own.

Jericho continued to watch her, and then suddenly stood up, approaching the bars.

"Come here," he directed.

May stood up and walked to the bars, standing across from him. This close, she could see all the shades of red and brown in his eyes. She could see that his hair, which he kept tied back from his face, was a dark brown, almost black. It looked like it would be soft to touch. She studied his face. He looked older than her, lines bracketed his mouth. She noted that he had no such lines around his eyes, like he didn't smile very much.

She loved the way his eyebrows were shaped, and how it added to his overall features. He was so very very handsome.

Jericho seemed to be studying her as much as she was studying him. His nostrils flared with each intake of breath, almost like he was scenting the air around them. He watched her, not cruelly, like she was some kind of circus freak, but like he was taking her measure.

"How old are you?" he asked suddenly.

May was surprised into answering without thinking, "Twenty-six," she answered.

"You look much younger," he replied.

May couldn't help the smile that teased her lips, "I know. It's partly because I'm so small, but I haven't changed much since high school. We…"

She stopped herself by pushing a finger up to her lips.

Jericho raised an eyebrow, encouraging her to continue, but May shook her head, "Nothing," she whispered.

He looked at her in disappointment. She could actually feel his disappointment rolling off of him and crashing into her.

"At least you didn't lie this time," he said thoughtfully.

May tucked her chin down, no longer able to make eye contact him as waves of shame covered her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He surprised her then, lowering himself to sit cross-legged outside of the bars. May paused for a moment, and then lowered herself as well, mirroring his posture. May wished that she could tell him the truth about herself, tell him everything that was happening, see if he could find out if her sister was alive.

Then she had an idea, a way she could get to know him, and he could get to know her. It would give her something to think about while she was locked up, and maybe he would remember her when everyone else had long since forgotten her.

"Do you like to read?" she asked, tentatively.

His eyes widened, the pupils darkening and making his eyes look garnet colored, "Yes," he replied after a moment.

"What books do you like?" she asked.

He seemed to think about it, to think both about her question and whether or not he wanted to answer it, "The Shining," he said, "The Odyssey, The Great Gatsby, A Moveable Feast…" he smiled, "Jurassic Park."

May smiled as well, "What are you reading right now?" she asked.

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," he answered.

"Is it good?" May asked.

Jericho nodded, "What books do you like?" he responded.

May tapped her finger on her chin as she thought about his question, "Hmmm, Anne of Green Gables, To Kill a Mockingbird, Vanity Fair, Captain Correlli's Mandolin… Anything by A.S Byatt," she finished.

"Which book has resonated the most with you? she asked, and then retracted her question quickly when she saw his face darken, "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that."

"Guess," he demanded.

May thought about the titles he'd listed, and then said, "The Great Gatsby."

The smile that broke out across Jericho's face took May's breath away, "Why?" he asked, "Why do you think that?"

"Well, for two reasons," she said, "The first is because of the narrator, he's watching all the action between Jay and Daisy, and trying to make sense of it. He assigns meaning to emotions, but from the outside. He has to figure it out and tell us, the readers, about it. It's like all of us, trying to make sense of what we see around us, not knowing what people's true motivation is, if they are being genuine or lying…" May trailed off, she'd basically just described his struggle with her.

Jericho watched her for a moment. May glanced up at his eyes and then glanced back down again.

"What was the second reason?" she heard him ask quietly.

May looked up at him, surprised, "Jay Gatsby," she answered.

"Gatsby?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, "Watching Daisy's house from the end of his dock, waiting for her light, always on the outside, yet every decision he makes has the end goal of getting Daisy... who abandons him," she adds.

"Am I Gatsby?" he asked her.

May shook her head, "I hope not. I don't like the idea of someone taking advantage of you. Of you feeling like you're an outsider. I would hate for you to waste your life on Daisy Buchanan."

May's face flamed as she realized what she'd said.

She hazarded a glance at Jericho, who was staring at her wide eyed with his mouth open. When she met his eyes, he snapped his mouth shut, and narrowed his eyes. He looked angry and stood up. He ran his hands through his hair, getting his fingers stuck in the elastic holding it back, and tore it out angrily.

"I will be right back," he said, "POUNCE!" he yelled.

May saw the other New Species arrive, "I need a moment," he said, "Watch her. I will be back in two minutes."

Jericho turned on his heel and walked away without looking back at her. May sighed. She'd really messed that up. But she couldn't help but wonder if she'd chosen the right book.

She could sense Pounce staring at her, but she didn't look up at him. Her face was still hot. She scooted back to the bars and leaned back, crossing her arms against her chest and leaning her head on the bar. She closed her eyes, feeling exhausted. She tilted until she could rest on the floor. She curled her legs up to her body, and fell asleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Jericho paced outside the cell block. He ran his hands agitatedly through his hair over and over. She was lying, he knew she was.

 _She hoped he wasn't Gatsby?!_ Would a person who hated New Species hope that he felt connected to other people? That people didn't take advantage of him or abandon him when he needed help?

Jericho kicked a wastebasket nearby, before taking a deep breath. Justice was counting on him. He couldn't stand outside, pacing, questioning.

He pulled his hair back, securing it at his neck with the elastic. He breathed deeply, he'd never needed to calm himself so often. Walking back into the cell block, he saw Pounce at the end of the hall, far away from Stephanie's cell. He felt an unreasonable surge of annoyance.

"I told you to watch her!" he growled.

Pounce tilted his head in the direction of the cell, "Not much to watch," he said, and Jericho followed his gaze. Stephanie lay curled up on the floor, her arms crossed over her chest. Jericho stood for a moment, watching her relaxed in sleep. Every so often her body would give a slight shiver as if she was cold.

"I'll get her a blanket," Pounce said, and walked away to a cabinet nearby. He removed the blanket and brought it back to Jericho.

Jericho looked at the blanket and looked at Stephanie, and sighed, "Open it for me?" he asked Pounce, who nodded and deactivated the locking mechanism.

Jericho knelt next to her, and spread the blanket over her body. One small hand grasped the edge of the blanket and brought it up to her chin. Sleepy eyes opened and her rosebud mouth smiled, "Thank you," she whispered, and closed her eyes again, going back to sleep.

Jericho felt the same strange tightening in his chest he felt earlier. He let his fingers linger on the skin of her arm as he fixed the blanket. It was like touching a live wire when he felt her skin, a thousand sparks of electricity traveling from the place where their skin met, all along his body.

He stood up quickly, and backed away from her. This tiny girl was somehow dangerous to him, he could feel it.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

May woke up to the sound of a door slamming. She jolted awake, and immediately regretted it when she tweaked her neck.

"Owwww," she complained, realizing she'd been resting with her head on the cement all night. She heard voices, and stood up, moving to the front of the cell and looking down the hall. May saw two men in uniforms with Jericho and Pounce. Jericho had his hands on his hips and looked at the floor. He was shaking his head. Pounce stood with his arms crossed and looked angry, but resigned.

As if he could sense her watching him, Jericho met May's eyes. The look on his face made May's stomach drop, her fear making her swallow hard. She looked away and saw Pounce give a quick, concise nod, before walking to her cell.

"You are being transferred to Fuller Prison now," he said, a small frown on his face.

May couldn't help the way her chin wobbled. Nor could she stop the tears that pressed against the back of her lids as she closed her eyes tightly, willing them back.

"Turn around," he told her.

May did as he asked, "Step back," he ordered, "Now link your fingers together." Her arms protested the position, and when the handcuffs were fastened around her wrists, she gasped as it pressed into already tender skin.

"Is that necessary?" she heard Jericho ask Pounce quietly.

She felt the handcuffs open a catch, enough that it wasn't hurting so much anymore. She wanted to say, "thanks," but she was so scared now. She was trembling and afraid that she wouldn't be able to speak.

Pounce opened the cell door and lightly gripped her arm, leading her to the two men in uniforms. Now that May could see them up close, she could see that they were officers. They wore weapons at their belts, but there was no badge or insignia on their uniforms that said with whom they were associated.

Jericho watched her as she walked forward, but the shame that May felt made her keep her eyes on the floor.

"Good luck, Stephanie," she heard Jericho say quietly.

She nodded, still not looking at him.

One of the officers reached forward and took her arm. He pulled her forward, none too lightly, and checked her cuffs. She felt him squeeze them tighter, "You can't leave them loose, Pounce," he chided, "even if they are female. They are dangerous."

She heard Pounce scoff, but he didn't answer.

The guard pushed her forward, and May tripped as she tried to move. She didn't fall, but walking with her hands behind her back, and trembling knees, did not inspire grace.

"You were right," she suddenly heard Jericho call out behind her, "It was Gatsby," and she almost smiled.

A nondescript van was idling in front of the security building. May blinked against the bright light of the morning as she emerged from the building. She saw curious New Species stop what they were doing to watch her be led to the van.

There was a name for what was happening to her. May tried to remember, _Oh yeah,_ she thought, _perp walk. This is my perp walk._

She hung her head. She had done nothing wrong, but she still felt the guilt of the actions she claimed credit for. It was almost as if by telling the lie enough times, she was starting to believe it; that she was the despicable person who hated New Species for no fault of their own and who tried to drug them indiscriminately.

A third officer was waiting for her at the van. He opened the door and helped the officers leading her to put her into the van. They strapped her into a complicated set of bindings that wrapped around her ankles and then linked through fastenings on the wall. There was no belt buckle, no way for May to brace herself if she needed. The officers completed all of this quietly and efficiently, causing May to wonder how often they were forced to pick up prisoners at Reservation.

She was surprised when the third officer climbed in the back with her. The two other officers closed the back doors of the van and went around the front, starting the van and putting it into motion. The only light was filtered through plexiglass that separated the drivers from the back of the van where May sat.

Her body rocked back and forth as they moved. May pressed her feet into the floor, trying to balance herself, but it was nearly impossible given how she was restrained and how short she was.

The van stopped briefly, and May heard the officers up front speaking before the van pulled away and began to gather speed. They hit a pothole in the road and May's body lurched forward and back, slamming her head into the back of the van. She hit something, some sort of exposed and extruding piece, that pierced the skin on the back of her head. A warmth began to cover her neck and trickle down her back.

"Damn," she heard the officer breathe, "I forgot about that."

She looked up to see the man smiling at her wickedly. May realized that he had known about the exposed piece of whatever where she was sitting and didn't care. He was enjoying seeing her hurt. May bit her lip but didn't complain. It would do no good to complain.

They traveled for quite some time, at least an hour, before the officer said, "Here we are. Home sweet home."

May peeked through the plexiglass, but couldn't make out anything except the sunlight reflecting off of the windshield.

"Anxious?" the officer laughed, "You'll see it soon enough."

He was right. Soon the van came to a stop and the back was opened by two female officers. They unfastened her and pulled her out, hissing as they got a look at her.

"Jesus, Francis," one of them said, "again?"

"You can always tell which ones I transport, though," the man laughed, "can't you?"

May felt sick to her stomach as she realized just what she was facing; inmates that were torturers, and guards that got a kick out of hurting them. It was a sick and twisted place and she was about to spend her life there.

The female guards jerked her forward angrily, as if it was somehow her fault that she had been hurt. May looked up at the looming grey structure. The building itself wasn't new, it was slightly gothic looking and built with heavy stone, but it was surrounded by multiple walls, and high towers that were patrolled by guards. There were officers walking around with dogs, and there were cameras everywhere.

May was led through a series of locks, one gate would open and another would close, before she actually made it inside the building. Another female guard met them at the door.

"Welcome to Fuller," the woman said, "home to the dregs of humanity. Since you are here, that is also you. We don't care what you did or didn't do, so don't bother telling us."

What followed was a series of events, each more humiliating that the first. May was forced to disrobe; she was then strip searched, and underwent a cavity search. Since May had never allowed anyone that close to her body before, the experience was indescribably painful. Not physically painful, though yes, it was uncomfortable, but emotionally painful. She felt violated; like the trust she had put out into the world, her attitude of _do no harm and no harm will be done to you_ was gone. People would harm her, it didn't matter that she was a good person, not even that, that she was a human and had certain rights as a human.

She felt less than human. She couldn't describe the change that happened to her at the end of that time, but she knew that she would never view the world the same way again.

After she was given a uniform, she was brought to the infirmary. The nurse prodded at her head and declared that she needed stitches. May heard the buzz of clippers.

She turned her head, "Could you not shave my head?" she risked asking.

The nurse curled her lip at her, "It is much easier to stitch you up without hair getting in the way. Now turn around."

May sucked in a breath and turned around. She felt the vibration of the clippers against her head and then, "Oops," and a giggle, "I got a little too much."

May linked her fingers together tightly while the nurse jabbed a needle into the wound. Despite the pain that the nurse seemed to be inflicting on her on purpose, May felt strangely disconnected. She pretended that she was somewhere else, that what was happening to her wasn't happening to _her,_ it was just her body that was affected. In her mind she could disappear, and she did that. She made herself small, and pictured herself curling up on a bed, resting easily and was surprised when the sound of a door shutting intruded on her thoughts. Somehow she had walked from the infirmary to her cell without even realizing it.

She looked around. The walls were cinder blocks and May could take two steps in any direction and reach one. This was her home now. Her bed had a blanket folded on the top, along with a towel. She saw a cardboard box of other items she would need, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, along with one change of clothes and slip-on shoes. May put all of the items on the floor before pushing them aside. She grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She crawled onto the bed and closed her eyes, and amazingly, fell right to sleep.

* * *

 _Thank you, everyone, for being patient as I complete Jericho. Please review and critique, I love to read your thoughts about each chapter! ~ Ripley_


	16. Chapter 16

_Hello Everyone. Thank you again, for reading. I know that, thus far Jericho has been a slow burn. Thanks for sticking with the story! Please review and critique! ~ Ripley_

* * *

Jericho rearranged the few items he had sitting on his dresser: swipe card, badge, keys. It didn't look right, so he straightened it. It still didn't look right, so he arranged it again.

He was anxious and angry. The only thing alleviating his anxiety was work. At least, he thought it was alleviating his anxiety.

Then Tiger had sent him home after he had snapped at Book and Flirt.

And True.

And Brass.

And Smiley.

But the big mistake was hissing at Fury. Not only was Fury his boss, but he also snapped back and it took four males to pull them apart. Tiger sent him home with a warning to get his head on straight and to figure out what the hell was going on with him. Jericho had always been touchy, but he was out of control. Tiger's words.

Jericho knew what was wrong, it was keeping him up every night. It made food tasteless. It kept him agitated and on day of denial was all it took. By the second day, he had come to terms with it: he had let his mate be taken to Fuller Prison.

His mate.

She had lied about her name, about what she had done, about everything, but it didn't change what all of his instincts were telling him. She was his mate.

The thought crossed his mind again, and he couldn't help roaring, it was the unique sound he made that was a cross between a roar and a growl, and he slashed his arm across the top of the bureau, knocking everything to the floor.

He left his room, slamming the door behind him.

"Hey, Jericho?" Ascend called his name as he stalked down the corridor of the dorm, "You okay? Thought I heard you."

"No," he growled, and started running. He ran from the dorm straight to Tiger's office, slamming the door shut.

Tiger stood up from his desk as he came in, snarling as he took in Jericho's aggressive stance.

"Get her back," Jericho said slowly, every word a threat.

Tiger didn't pretend to misunderstand and ran his hand across his face, "Can't do that, Jericho."

"Fuck that," Jericho ground out, "Jeanie. Lauren. Kat. Vanni. Ellie. Allie. Need me to continue? We were wrong about all of them. All of them were mates. My mate," he had to stop, his emotions threatening to choke him, "My mate is in Fuller Prison. Fuller. Prison. I may as well have killed her myself. I just let her go."

"Jericho," Tiger breathed, and sat down in the chair, the weight of the situation hitting him as he processed what Jericho had said.

"Okay," he said, "I gotta figure this out. We don't know who she is. We don't know if she's trying to hurt us."

"She's not," Jericho said, "I know it like I know myself."

The phone rang on Tiger's desk and he held a finger up to Jericho.

"Tiger," he answered.

"Yes," he said, "I know. Have they arrived?"

Jericho watched Tiger's face change, his face paling as his eyes zoned in on Jericho.

"Here?" he asked, "How long?"

The door slammed open, and Jericho turned around, ready to fight.

"Nevermind," he said, before hanging up, "She's here."

Jericho's stance relaxed immediately, even before his brain could make sense of what he was seeing.

If Stephanie was a New Species, she would be this female.

"Are you the idiot?" she asked.

Jericho's nostrils flared, he could still smell Mercile on this female. She was wearing the white velcroed clothing in which all of them had been outfitted while in captivity. She had Stephanie's eyes, her skin tone, and her brown hair. But nothing about this female was shy or unassuming. She looked wild. Her hair a mass of tangles down her back. Her eyes were spitting flames at Tiger, and her hands were clenched into fists. Jericho could smell her anger.

"What's going on?" he asked, though he knew.

The female shifted her gaze to Jericho, "Unless you can help me, I don't have time to explain it."

Jericho's eyes shifted to Tiger, who shrugged.

The female let out a put-upon sigh, "My sister," the female looked at Tiger and her voice cracked, but she continued, her voice becoming like steel as she went on, "She looked like me, but much smaller. She made a deal with Werner, and he released me. She was here. The male who was with the Task Force told me that you had a female in custody with my eyes," she pointed to her face. "But she was sent away."

"I don't know what my sister did to get me released, and even when she told me what she had done, I didn't believe it was possible. But whatever it was she could do, it was important enough that Werner was willing to let me go. So. Where. Is. She?"

Tiger looked at Jericho, "He was almost able to capture Leo's mate."

"She was the distraction," Jericho realized, "She kept us busy. Kept the Wild Zone residents off balance and he was able to get close to Leo. He's always been obsessed with Leo…"

He trailed off, his heart breaking as he realized the scope of his mate's sacrifice.

"What's her name?" he asked the female.

"I don't know," she said angrily, "Why are you asking questions? It doesn't matter. Whatever she is, you get her back, and you get her back now."

"I'm going," Jericho told Tiger, who was already reaching for the phone. He gave him a concise nod before speaking into the phone.

"The Task Force will be here in a minute," he told him.

"I'm going too," the female said.

"It's not safe," Tiger argued, "I can't let you go. It's hard enough to protect male New Species. I can't spare the manpower needed to take you along."

The female opened her mouth to argue, and Tiger interrupted, "Please," he said, "You don't owe us anything, but I can get her faster without you."

She nodded her head, once, and sat in a chair, "I'm not going anywhere until she's returned to me."

Jericho could sense her tightly controlled possessiveness and agitation.

Tiger's phone rang and he nodded at Jericho, who ran out the door. He would find his mate. He just hoped he wasn't too late.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

May wasn't sure how many days had passed, because she hadn't slept yet. She knew that she should, but it was like she was undergoing some sort of prison initiation. Every time her eyes shut, a guard would rattle her door, or call out to her. When she was so exhausted that she'd slept through one of them shouting directions at her, she'd been put on half rations as punishment. Her medical training told her it was just a matter of time before she had a mental break, if she hadn't already. In fact, it seemed like she had lost big stretches of time. The guards would switch off the lights, plunging the inmates into total darkness, before switching them back on again. There was no pattern, no rhyme or reason to it, and it managed to further confuse May.

"Inmate!" a guard yelled.

May pulled herself to standing, turning around to face the door with her hands at her side.

"Approach the cell door," the guard ordered.

May walked to the door and turned around, linking her fingers together behind her back. She felt hands grip hers and then she felt handcuffs fastened to her wrist, the bands squeezed together, past the point of pain, enough that May would have worried had she wanted to become a surgeon. She was sure that by this point nerve damage had been done.

A blood curdling scream shook May out of her stupor. May hadn't heard anything like it before, it sounded like someone being murdered. May heard men's laughter, and a coldness began to seep into her bones.

 _I think I'm going to die now,_ May realized. She would have cried, but why should she? It wouldn't help.

"Is this the one?" she heard a man ask.

"Yeah," the female guard answered, opening May's cell and pulling her out. May tried to resist, her heart hammering in her chest as she came to realize what the screams signified, but she was so weakened by lack of food and sleep, that all she managed to do was stumble into the man's arms.

He was soft, and smelled strongly of cologne. May could feel him, hard and erect, pressed against her stomach, and she tried to pull away. The female guard laughed, and May saw the guard press a wad of bills into her hand. He started dragging May away from her cell, and she made her body limp. The sudden dead weight of her body threw the guard off balance, and he fell to the floor with her, as he tried to hold onto her.

"Damnit," he hissed, gripping her ankle as May attempted to push herself from him.

"Help me!" she called out to the female guard. This couldn't be happening to her. Surely a woman would never allow another woman to be raped.

"Sorry," the guard threw out over her shoulder as she walked away.

May was on her own. She kicked out a foot at the guard, catching him between the legs. He twisted at the last minute, allowing her foot to just graze off his crotch. He didn't say a word, just kept pulling her toward him, until he could grip her waist. May bucked and arched, but it didn't do any good. He just wrapped her up, and dragged her down the hall. She screamed out as the guard dragged her through a set of doors and into a corridor that May recognized as the way to the infirmary. The guard brought her through the doors, and the nurse looked up.

"Need the room?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Yes," the guard replied and hoisted May onto the table. Before May could resist, the nurse was strapping her down, keeping her arms pinned underneath her as she used strong velcro straps to fasten her down around her waist.

"Together or apart?" she heard the nurse ask.

"Apart," the guard answered.

May kicked at them as each person grabbed an ankle and forced her legs apart.

"No no no!" May screamed, tears rolled down her cheeks and into her hair. She thrashed her head from side to side. She managed to catch someone with her foot because she heard someone's quick exhalation.

"You sure you want her awake?" the nurse asked.

"Nah," the guard answered, "I prefer them out."

May saw the nurse approach her, a needle in hand. She continued to thrash, even though she knew it was hopeless, and let out one last long scream, as the needle was inserted into her neck.

Her eyelids started to droop and she continued to cry out, until her voice was only a whimper.

She saw the nurse's hand outstretched and the guard slapped money on her palm.

She tried to keep her eyes open, and her body moving, to fight as long as she could.

"I may have given her too much," the nurse said thoughtfully.

Her voice sounded farther and farther away, and the darkness was starting to suffocate May. It was harder to breathe, but a sense of peace fell over her. If she couldn't breathe, then she would die. That was okay with her; she didn't want this life. Before her eyes closed, she recalled Jericho's eyes. She focused on his face, on his voice. She pictured him talking to her about books, and his confused look as she talked about _The Great Gatsby._ As she thought about him, his face changed, morphing from confusion to anger. She didn't want him to be angry at her, but he was so beautiful with his eyes blazing fire and his eyebrows drawn together.

 _Beautiful,_ she thought.


	18. Chapter 18

"This is taking too long," Jericho said to Trey Roberts as they waited at the front desk of the prison. Tim Oberto was arguing with the deputy warden. The deputy was looking through his computer, making phone calls, and giving information to Tim. They knew where Stephanie was, but no one was answering the female block of the prison.

"It's highly irregular," the deputy was explaining as he hung up and tried again.

"I am going in to get her," Jericho warned Trey, "Enough of this bullshit. We are going to her cell block and getting her."

Trey nodded and just as Tim looked up, gave him a nod. Jericho heard Tim tell the deputy to bring them there immediately. He stood, recognizing the direction in Tim's voice. In the out world, Tim was Justice North's voice, and if Justice North demanded that a prisoner be released, then it would happen.

The warden began walking them through a series of gates and locks. Jericho kept his sunglasses on and his weapon at the ready. This place was a cesspool of suffering and hate. He could smell it all around him. And in case that wasn't enough, he could hear it in the threats and taunts being called out to him from the cells.

They were led through one more set of gates to the women's block where a very nervous looking guard was manning the desk alone.

"Why weren't you answering the phone?" the deputy asked the officer.

"I'm sorry, Sir," he said, "I missed it."

The man was lying. Jericho could smell the deceit. Something bad was happening here and he didn't want anyone to know what it was. He heard a scream, and the deputy jumped, "Open the doors, Matthews."

"Sir," the officer's hand was shaking and the doors disengaged. They began running down the cell block, following the sound of the screams, to a cell. Jericho stopped as they reached it, shutting his eyes tightly against what he was seeing.

"Jesus Christ," the deputy said, and then roared, "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"

Trey, Shane, and Tim had their weapons raised and were sighting in on a guard who was assaulting a female inmate. Jericho roared and the guard jumped.

The man tripped over his pants, and the task force moved into action. They grabbed cable ties from their back pockets and secured his hands behind his back. Shane, who had some training as a medic, began administering basic first aid to the female. Jericho breathed quickly through his nose, the scent of fear and sex making him sick. It was too close to the smells from Mercile. He didn't know who this woman was, but no one deserved what had been done to her.

"Where are the female guards?" the deputy asked, as if to himself, before grabbing his radio and calling in, "Warden? This is Bill. We have a big fucking problem, and we need to clean house. Ready emergency officers. I'll explain when you get here."

Jericho had to move away from the cell, his anger at the man threatening to make him lose control and rip him to pieces. As he moved down the hall, the smell began to clear and he caught a familiar scent; his mate. It was masked by a heavy cologne, but Jericho was able to follow the scent trail to a cell.

It was her. He could smell fear. Pain. Despair. Confusion. It was too much and Jericho grasped the bars to stay upright. He turned around and barreled down the hallway. He shoved aside the humans on the Task Force and grabbed the guard, hauling him up by his collar and shoving him against the wall. He hissed and snarled at him, baring his sharp fangs, "Where. Is. She?"

"Who?" the guard asked in a shaky voice.

Jericho shook him again, "My mate," he began dragging the man down the hall. The humans stepped neatly out of his way, making no move to stop him. When he reached Stephanie's cell he pushed the man against the bars, slamming his head into the metal, "Here. Where is this female?"

"Uh," the man hesitated and Jericho drew him back and slammed him forward once more.

The man cried out and Jericho turned him around, baring his fangs again, "You have three seconds to tell me before I rip your throat out."

"Probably the infirmary!" the man cried out, "Randall always takes them to the nurse so she can knock them out and strap them down!"

Jericho howled, a sound of utter desperation, "Where is the infirmary?" He yelled at the deputy.

The deputy began moving fast, "Throw him in the cell," he said to Jericho, "He's not going anywhere. And follow me."

Trey and Tim continued with them, through a series of halls. The deputy was nearly out of breath by the time he opened the final gate, "Here," he said.

Even if the deputy hadn't been leading them, Jericho would have been able to follow the cloying scent of cologne and the fainter scent of his mate's panic.

Jericho heard a quiet whimper and recognized it immediately. He took off down the hallway, coming to a door labeled "INFIRMARY" and kicked it open. Then he was moving without thought.

He saw his mate, strapped to a gurney, her legs lifted and spread, strapped in stirrups. He saw a man, studying her and slowly unbuckling his pants. Jericho grabbed the man, who let out a tiny squeak of surprise. He grabbed him by the throat and threw him as hard as he could. The man slammed into a metal cabinet of medical supplies, before crashing to the floor. He was caught up in his pants and couldn't get away, which was perfect for Jericho. He reached down, grabbed his throat once again, and squeezed as hard as he could, until he could feel the man's cartilage and small bones crush. Two hands around his head and a quick jerk broke the man's neck and then he was forgotten.

Trey was unstrapping Stephanie from the gurney.

"Don't touch her!" Jericho yelled, his voice inhuman.

"Jericho," Trey said quietly, his hands up as if to calm him down, "She's having trouble breathing. You need to let me help her. "

Jericho went immediately to her side. Trey was right, her lips were turning blue and her eyes were struggling to stay open. She still made the small sad whimper that had alerted Jericho to her location.

Her eyes suddenly locked on his, widening for a second as they roamed his face, "Beautiful," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, before her eyes closed.


	19. Chapter 19

When May opened her eyes, all she could see was blue sky. The sun shone on her face, making her skin hot. She lifted her hand to rub her eyes and was startled when she felt a tiny pull in her skin. Looking down she saw an IV inserted into a vein in her hand, and suddenly everything came rushing back to her.

"No!" she cried, sitting up quickly.

"It's okay," a deep voice said, "May. You're alright."

May looked toward the voice and saw Jericho, observing her with a concerned expression. His eyebrows were drawn together and his eyes looked so dark they were almost black.

"Jericho?" she asked, looking around. She wasn't in Fuller anymore.

"Hi," he said, smiling sadly, "May, I am so sorry."

May shook her head, "I don't understand…" she said and then her eyes widened as she realized what he'd called her, "Oh no… You can't… My…"

Her sister! If Jericho knew who she was, she had failed and her sister was dead. Her throat felt swollen and she could feel tears threatening.

"Your sister is here," he said, his hand covering hers gently and his other hand reaching up to cup her cheek. His thumb ran along her cheekbone gently, "She's probably going to be here any minute."

The door to the room flew open just as the words left Jericho's mouth and May looked up to see a very tall, very fit version of herself standing in the doorway.

May choked on a laugh, joy coursing through her body as she saw her sister standing unharmed, "Hello," she said.

Her sister's face, which just a moment before wore a black expression of annoyance cleared, and became softer, "Hello Sister."

May sat up a little higher and reached out a hand, "Will you?" she asked, hoping that her sister would allow her to touch her, to make sure she was real.

Her sister reached out a hand and wrapped her strong fingers around May's. She surprised May then by pulling her into a strong embrace. She felt her sister lean her head on her hair and breath her in. Her other hand was held by Jericho, who squeezed it, but didn't let it go.

"It's nice to finally meet you," May said, squeezing her sister around the shoulders.

Her sister drew back and laughed, "It is nice to finally meet you as well, little May Nguyen," she said aloud, and then whispered, "Thank you little sister."

May sniffled as she stared at her sister, "I'm your big sister."

She looked confused as she looked at May, "I am much bigger than you," she said slowly, "I could probably crush you if I wanted to."

May smiled, "I'm your older sister," she said, "I should have said that. Sometimes humans use the words "little" and "big" to explain birth order. I should have explained."

Her sister smiled and May felt herself relax for the first time in days.

"He released you," May said.

She heard Jericho growl next to her, "Yes. Because of your foolish bravery."

May turned to look at him. His face was pale and his eyes had darkened. May couldn't help the tremor that began along her spine as she remembered her time at Fuller. She pulled her hands gently away from Jericho and her sister.

"You were not raped," her sister told her quietly and May swallowed.

"Are you sure?" May asked, "I don't remember."

She heard a strange noise come from Jericho's throat; it was somewhere between a whine and a snarl.

"I was almost not fast enough," he said shaking his head, and not looking at May, "Will you ever forgive me?"

May stared at him wide-eyed, and then her sister scoffed, "You saved her," she said, without emotion, then added, "You would not have had to save her if you had not let her be sent to Fuller, but you eventually did the right thing."

May's mouth dropped open, "No," she corrected, "It isn't your fault at all."

Jericho wouldn't look at her and May lifted his chin until she could be sure he was paying attention, ""It is not your fault. I did what I thought I needed to and I lied to you. You came for me. You saved me. That is all that matters."

As May finished Jericho's eyes lifted to hers. He stared at her mouth as she spoke. The last word had just left her mouth when Jericho pressed his lips to hers. May gave a tiny surprised cry. Jericho immediately drew back, but May moved fast, gripping his neck with her hand and pulling back to her.

His lips were strong, but May didn't know what she was doing. She heard a throat clear and pulled back embarrassed.

"Can you please wait until you are alone? I do not need to see you share sex," her sister said.

May giggled and caught Jericho's eye. He smiled at her, a blindingly beautiful smile. She realized that she'd never seen him smile before. She reached up and traced his mouth with her finger.

"When can I leave?" she asked him, and then blushed when she realized how she sounded.

Jericho's face got serious, "You can leave today," he said, "The doctor will be in to check you over one last time and then I will be taking you to my home."

"Wait. What?" her sister said, "I thought that she would come to the women's dorms with me."

Jericho growled quietly and her sister hissed in return. May held her hands out, one palm on each of their chests, "I haven't had anyone who has cared about me in a long time," she said, "Let alone two people who want me with them. Please, let's not argue. We're family now."

"I have arranged for us to have a house," Jericho explained, "I would like for us to live there together. Your sister," he growled, looking over, "is welcome to stay with us."

May looked over at her sister, whose eyes had widened, "Explain," she demanded of Jericho.

"May is my mate," Jericho said, and then looked at May, "You are my mate. I will take care of you. I want you with me. I need you with me so I protect you and provide for you. I want you as long as we are both alive."

May bit her lip and looked over at her sister, who was smiling broadly and nodded at May when she caught her eye. May couldn't help the smile that seemed to stretch from ear to ear.

"I would like that very much," May said, "Can we please leave now?"

Jericho belted out a laugh and May finally recognized the feelings she'd had about Jericho since she had first heard his voice: love.


	20. Chapter 20

May let Jericho sweep her out of the golf cart and into his arms. She giggled and kissed his ear Ever since he had told her that she was his mate, she couldn't stop touching him and kissing him. It was okay, though, because he seemed to want to do the same thing.

He'd kissed the back of her hand as Dr. Treadmont had explained her injuries and set her up with follow-up appointments with a psychologist and an occupational therapist, as well as an appointment with a general practitioner at Reservation. When Justice North had come into their room, along with Tiger, who May had recognized from her interrogation, and May had begun to shake in fear, Jericho had stood up and roared at them to leave. May had been horrified; Justice North was Jericho's leader and Tiger was his boss, but both males had been remarkably understanding, and Jericho had calmed immediately when he saw that Justice had only come to bring them mate papers, and welcome May to the New Species family.

In a week's time, May had gone from utterly alone, to having a mate, and a sister, and an extended family who would protect her until she died.

Jericho opened the door to their new home with one hand, holding May to him tightly with the other. He gently nudged the door closed and let May slide from his body. Now that they were alone, he seemed nervous and unsure. May lifted a hand to her mouth as she looked around.

"Is this where we will live?" she asked, awestruck.

Jericho nodded, watching her closely, "Is this acceptable?"

"Acceptable?" May asked in a high pitched voice, and rained kisses all over his face, wherever she could reach, "yes!"

Jericho chuckled and tried to catch her mouth, but she kept moving.

"Stay still," he said in a deep voice and May stopped, pulling back until she could look at his face.

Jericho tucked her closer to his body, his arm coming up under her butt to keep her pressed to him, while his other hand ran up her back and cupped her neck. He began to lean his head toward hers and May closed her eyes, whispering, "I don't know how to kiss."

Jericho jerked his head back, eyes wide with surprise, "What? Have you never shared sex with a male before?"

May felt her face flame, "I'm not a virgin, but I never kissed a boy before."

Jericho smiled at her words, but quickly smothered it. Still, May caught a glimpse before she continued, "I…" she started again, "When I was in college, I went to a party with my roommate. I had never been to one before, my mother wouldn't allow it. She said they were dangerous, and I was always too busy studying, but my roommate talked me into it."

Jericho watched her and May felt her body get hot. He started to walk with her in his arms, before walking into the bedroom and lying her down on a bed, "Continue," he said, the smile gone from his face.

"I. Well… there was a boy at this party, and he paid attention to me all night long. We talked about books and movies and school. He seemed really nice." May looked down at the comforter while she spoke. Suddenly the world spun and she was on her back, with Jericho propped next to her and tracing her arm with his finger, just watching her.

"He didn't kiss me," May explained, "He was just kind of, running his hands over my body, and the next thing I knew he had his hand in my pants and my breast in his mouth, and then my pants were down and… that was it. It didn't hurt or anything. I didn't say no. It just happened really fast and then it was over. I was never sorry for it, before…" she said, "But now that I've met you, I wish that I hadn't let him touch me. That you would be my first everything."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Jericho wanted to roar as she told her story. Some idiotic male had mounted her without even kissing her. He also understood what she was saying; he wished that all of his firsts would be with May as well. But May was who she was because of her experiences, and he wouldn't want her any other way.

He lowered his mouth to hers, "Let me show you," he said, quietly, watching her eyes for permission. Her pupils widened until her eyes were nearly black and she nodded her head.

He pressed his mouth to hers, pursing and unpursing his lips. Soon, she was following suit, her kisses hungry as she pressed her mouth to his over and over. Her hands roamed his body, grasping his biceps as if he could anchor her to earth. With each kiss she made a small sound, almost a mewling of need that went straight to Jericho's heart, cementing her place in it more firmly.

He touched her lips with his tongue, and he felt her start in surprise. He smiled against her lips, until her small warm tongue peeked from behind her lips and touched his tentatively. She teased him unknowingly, touching his tongue with the tip of hers and then drawing it back into her mouth. The next time she tried to withdraw, Jericho followed her, pushing his tongue past her lips gently; tracing her teeth, the roof of her mouth, and then drawing along the sides. He swirled his tongue in her mouth, wanting to taste all of her. Her hips arched as he sucked on her tongue, bringing it into his mouth. She began to copy what he was doing, and then, growing bolder, try new things. She ran her tongue along his lips, sucking on them and then nibbling experimentally. When she bit him harder, Jericho felt himself start to lose control.

He moved his body until he could press his entire length against hers. He tore his mouth away from hers, pressing his forehead into the pillow, "I have to remain in control," he said, "You are much too small, I don't want to hurt you."

May's body undulated beneath his, "You won't hurt me," she said, running her hands up and down his arms, across his shoulders, and then, pulling the elastic from his hair, through his hair.

"I want you inside me, Jericho," she said, gripping his hair lightly at the base of his skull and pulling him back so she could look at him. Her face was flushed beautifully and as Jericho watched, her cheeks got even brighter, "I want you to tear my clothes off and thrust inside me. I want to lose control with you and I want you to lose control with me. Mark me, make me completely yours. Take all of the bad and replace it so I can only think of you, feel you, on my body."

With each word May uttered, Jericho got harder and harder until he worried he wouldn't be able to get his pants off. He was so turned on that words left him, and all he could think was: _Mine. Take. Mark._

He sat up, ripping his shirt off and then, standing to the side of the bed, kicked off his shoes before pulling down his pants.

May sat up, propping herself on her elbows. The heat from her eyes scorched Jericho, he could almost feel the burn tracing a path along his body. He put one knee on the bed before climbing toward her on all fours. She reclined on the pillows and watched him as he came closer. Her hands running along his shoulders.

"My God Jericho," she said to him, watching where her hands moved, "I hope to God you're not disappointed."

He pulled his head back, "Nothing about you could disappoint me," he told her, "You are perfect to me."

May smiled, but bit her lip nervously. He could see her thinking, could see her doubts and fears written all over her face. A thought came to him, and he wondered if it would work, if it would calm May, or pull her deeper inside herself.

"I want to try something," he said, his voice low as he pressed a kiss to her lips. May ran her hands down his back, her fingers tracing the vertebrae in his spine until she could place both hands above his buttocks.

"What?" she asked breathlessly.

"I want you to give me control," he said. He tried to instill confidence into his voice, though he was worried he had pushed too far, "I do not want you to think," he added, "I just want you to act. To feel."

He felt May's fingertips dance along his back, as if she was thinking or enumerating reasons for and against his idea. He breathed in deeply, trying to scent how she was feeling. It was as if all of her nervousness disappeared, and what filled the room was relaxed and calm.

"Yes," she answered, "please."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

May loved the idea of shutting off her brain and allowing her emotions and body to guide her. She'd always been so academic; she related to people with words, with shared interests. She'd never just let her body guide her.

The smile that Jericho gave her when she answered stretched across his face, his eyes crinkling at the sides in happiness. She remembered her first impressions of him; how much older and severe he looked. Now, in bed with her, he seemed much younger and carefree. She saw him take a deep breath, his shoulders rising and his broad chest filling with air.

He stopped smiling, but his eyes remained light, "Take off your clothes," he commanded.

May sat up, gently pushing at his chest until he was on his knees, straddling her legs, but she could sit up. She crossed her arms in front of her body, grabbing the edges of the scrubs she wore and slowly lifted it over her head. As she lifted it, she felt Jericho's hands grasp her elbows, raising them with her, and then gliding under her arms and down her ribs until he could reach around her back. He pulled her body forward so her chest was pressed against his. She felt her nipples pebble. She shivered at the feeling of his hard chest compressing her sensitive breasts. Her quick intake of air signaled her arousal and Jericho drew his head back. His arms wrapped around her back until he could press against her shoulder blades and lower his head to hers.

"Open," he demanded and May opened her mouth. Jericho plunged his tongue into her mouth, rasping his tongue against hers and tracing each side before withdrawing back into his own mouth and then delving back inside her.

"This is what I'll do with my cock," he warned her breathlessly, "I'm just going to tease you," he said, gently circling her lips with this tongue, "just barely entering your tight body."

May moaned, and tried to suck his tongue into her mouth, but Jericho pulled back, his eyes glittering wickedly at her before he attached his mouth to hers again and thrust his tongue inside her before withdrawing and doing it all over again.

"I'm going to enter you hard and fast, May," he told her, "and then I'm going to go slow. So slow that you'll be begging me to fuck you. But I won't, I'll keep going slowly until you start to flutter and pulse all around me."

May pressed her legs together, the ache between her thighs growing painful. Jericho's nostril's flared, "Do you need me?" he asked.

May nodded quickly, "I do," she whispered.

"Lie back," he told her, and May followed his direction.

"Good," Jericho complimented her, "You listen so well."

His hands made quick work of her scrubs. She heard the material rip and she realized he was tearing it off her body piece by piece. Her back arched off the bed as she tried to rub herself against him. Jericho moved a knee between her thighs and grasped her waist, pulling her onto his leg. May continued to arch, her body rising off the bed. Her breasts protested the lack of contact with his chest. Her nipples were so hard that the air against the tips made her moan.

"Touch your breasts, May," Jericho said, "Show me what you want me to do. Tell me how to touch you."

"Like this," May answered, reaching her hands up and grasping each of her breasts, "I need you to squeeze them, and pull at them." Her hands mimed what she needed and Jericho pushed her hands away. She could feel her nipples at the center of his palms. He turned his palms before grasping them tightly, until it was just barely painful. He kneaded them, over and over, watching May's face.

"Harder," May begged, "I want to see your finger prints on me. I want to be reminded of your hands."

Jericho squeezed again before lowering his head. His fingers spread just enough that her nipples peeked between each finger and he latched his mouth to her nipples. His fingers squeezed and May bucked and cried out. His knee came up to her entrance, pushing against her clit and May ground herself desperately against him.

"I can feel you all over my thigh," Jericho said, turning his head to the side before biting down on her nipple. He squeezed her nipples so tightly that May tossed her head from side to side, but she didn't want him to stop, if anything she wanted more.

"Come on my leg, May," he demanded and left her breasts, moving her hands up to cup them and pinch her nipples before grabbing her waist and rotating her body on his leg. May felt a warm burn begin in her core and then travel through her body. It wasn't an explosion; it was better. There was no quick ignition and slow let down, instead, it was a sustained eruption, a hiss of steam that encompassed her entire body making her shudder and wonder if it would ever end.

May realized her nails were digging into Jericho's arms where he held her waist. He smiled at her as she opened her eyes, "That was good," he told her, "but you need to come again."

He held onto her waist and moved his body down until his face was level with her pussy. He let go of one hip and ran his fingers through the hair covering her. He started at her cleft, and pushed through it.

"You came so hard," he told her, looking up and smiling, "that you're running down your legs."

May felt her face flush, "Oh my god," she said, her head falling back on her pillow and covering her face with her hands.

"Put your hands down," Jericho chided.

May lowered her hands, but couldn't look at him.

"Look at me," he told her.

May slowly raised her eyes to look at his face, in her embarrassment, she hadn't been paying attention to what his fingers were doing. With one long index finger, he was tracing her lower lips, gathering up her moisture and bringing it to his mouth.

"Open your legs," he demanded and May, mesmerized as she watched him, did as he asked.

His strong tongue flattened against her inner thigh as he licked her until his nose was buried in her curls. She could feel him inhale against her skin and then his tongue darted out and traced her pussy. She nearly shot off the bed in surprise, but Jericho quickly pressed her back into the bed.

"Don't move," he commanded and proceeding to use his thumbs to open her wide to him. She lifted her head. He stared at her for an inordinately long time, each moment that passed made her ache more and more and she felt a sudden gush of liquid spill from her. Jericho smiled, a hungry predatory smile, until he could scoot forward and lick up the liquid.

"Again," he ordered, and May, unbelievably, felt her body respond.

Finally his tongue moved where she wanted it, but he didn't lick her clit, like she expected, instead thrusting his tongue inside her. It was thick and strong, and he curled it forward. He withdrew and thrust again and May came apart, her inner muscles clenching and unclenching. She heard herself scream out and as she came down, she saw she had her hands clenched tightly in Jericho's hair, holding his face to her.

He looked incredibly proud and May had to laugh, "You're very good at this," she complimented.

He waggled his eyebrows at her and May threw her head back, laughing hard. She wasn't laughing a second later, however, when he kissed his way up her body. He kneeled between her legs and pulled her up, lifting her until her thighs were spread over his and he was holding her above his erect cock.

"Tell me you want me, May," Jericho demanded.

He lowered her ever so slightly, one arm under her butt and another wrapped around her waist. The tip of his cock teased her entrance, just slipping inside her so she could feel the shape of his huge mushroomed head. He lifted her and dropped her again, shallow thrusts that were stimulating something inside her that made her curl her entire body toward him.

"I want you, Jericho," May begged breathlessly.

"Tell me what you want me to do," he said, his voice ragged and low, barely above a growl.

"I want you," she said.

She felt his head shake, "No. Not specific enough. Tell me what you want, May."

The mushroomed head slipped inside her again and he began to lift and drop her quickly. She needed him deeper and attempted to impale herself on him.

"Jericho!" she cried out.

"Tell me!" he demanded.

"Fuck me!" she begged, "Please! Shove yourself deep inside of me! Let me feel you!"

He dropped her weight and she felt him filling her. He was wide and long, stretching her almost to the point of discomfort. He pulled out of her and her eyes closed as she savored the feeling.

"Look at us," Jericho said, making her open her eyes. She stared at him confused and saw him staring down at their joined bodies, "See the difference between us? God," he breathed, and thrust harder before lifting and lowering her faster.

May could see what he meant. He was dark to her light, large to her small, hard to her soft. She threw her head back and enjoyed the feeling of him pushing into her. Soon he began thrust faster and May could feel her hands slipping off his shoulders as he began to sweat.

"Jericho," she breathed.

"Come," he ordered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Just like before, May's body obeyed him. Her muscles convulsed, squeezing and pulsing around him. He seemed to grow, getting bigger and wider before she felt hot cum fill her up. It seemed to go on endlessly, he was flooding her with his seed, and May could feel it trickling out of her body. He held onto her tightly, curled around her like he could protect her from the world. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw that she was lying on her back. Jericho was lying next to her, his head on the pillow as he stared at her. May turned onto her side and winced as her thighs rubbed together.

"Sore?" Jericho asked.

May hesitated.

"Tell me the truth May," Jericho directed.

"Yes," May answered, "but I like it. I like the way it feels right now. Like you're still a part of me."

Jericho smiled, his eyes back to the ruby red color that May was starting to understand showed his happiness.

"I love you," she said suddenly, feeling like it was important for him to know after he'd shared himself with her, "I don't know if you love me. It's okay if you don't, but I love you. I want you to know that." May propped her head on her hand so she could look down at him and started to smooth his hair away from his face, "I want you to think about it when you go to work and hear those terrible people yelling horrible things at you, or when your boss snaps at you, or you're tired or whatever. Just think to yourself, _May loves me._ Because it's true. I love you, Jericho. With everything that I am."

Jericho's eyes widened as she spoke and he continued to smile, with each word May uttered, his smile grew.

"You love me," he breathed.

"Yes," May answered, nodding her head.

Jericho lifted his head and grasped her hand to hold it to his face, "I love you too, May Nguyen. I'll love you forever."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Jericho heard a pounding on the front door and he jumped up, hissing. He looked over at May, who still lay curled on her side, one hand outstretched toward him. His first thought was that someone had returned to take her to Fuller.

 _Never_ , he thought, _she is never leaving me._

He crept on silent feet to the door, stopping along the way to listen for movement outside the house. He heard nothing except the shuffling of someone's feet on the front step. He moved the curtain, peeking out, and saw May's sister.

 _What the hell?_ he thought.

He opened the door and she barged in, "Where is she?" she asked, pulling her hair over her shoulder and finger combing it, "Is she all right?"

Jericho made a sign to lower her voice, looking over his shoulder toward the bedroom and directed May's sister to the couch.

Jericho ran his fingers through his hair, pulling it back into a low ponytail. He stopped and turned toward the female, who was staring at his hips.

 _Shit,_ he thought. He'd forgotten to put on clothes.

"Stay here," he whispered, and crept silently back into the room and picked up his clothes. He put on his pants and checked on May. She was breathing quietly and had gathered the pillow that Jericho was using and pulled it into her chest. He softly pushed her hair away from her face and leaned down, breathing in her scent before lightly kissing her temple.

He heard a creak and whipped around to see May's sister standing in the doorway.

Jericho quickly fixed the blanket on May and left the room, closing the door behind him and leading the way to the living room.

"What do you want?" he asked her sister bluntly.

The female sighed heavily, "I had to see her," she said, looking around the room confused, "I do not understand it, but I am so worried about her. We just met, I had one conversation with her, but my instincts are screaming at me to protect her. I have never felt this way before and I could not stay away any longer."

She dropped her face into her hands, "Something is wrong with me," she groaned.

Jericho sighed and sat back on the couch, thinking over what she said, it almost sounded the way Jericho felt; the instinctual need to protect and care for May, to make her his own, and it hit him: May did belong to this female, they shared some of the same DNA and something in the female recognized that.

"She is your family," Jericho said slowly, "perhaps your instincts recognize that and want to keep her close. In the animal kingdom, feline females often stay together, with the males roaming. Perhaps your DNA is from a big cat, and that is the cause of your anxiety."

She sat back on the couch as well, looking over at Jericho, "Do you think so?"

He nodded, "But you were also just released from captivity. You need time to adjust. Trust the females at the dorm, they have gone through the acclimation process, give yourself time. May is not going anywhere. I promise I will protect her with my life."  
The female smiled weakly at him, "I can smell her here," she said, "It calms me."  
Jericho smiled, "Yes," he replied, "We have found that males quickly become addicted to the scent of their mate. Siblings are rare within New Species. We have one other sibling pair here on Reservation. They are males, but they have bonded in a similar way, one acting out of character when the other was needed, breaking rules to keep each other safe."  
"Have I met them?" the female asked.

Jericho shrugged, "Fury and Darkness," he told her.

She shrugged in reply, "I am not sure, perhaps."

She rubbed at her forehead before standing up, "Thank you for letting me in," she said, "the other females did not want me to come. They said to leave you to bond, but I could not stay away any longer."

Jericho gave her a half smile, "May will want to see you again," he said, "but I would like to have more time alone with her," he said the last part honestly, not to be cruel or to keep her away.

She nodded and Jericho opened the door for her, "I will wait to hear from May," she told him, "will you tell her I was here?"

"Do you want me to?" Jericho asked.

"Yes," the female answered, "Please."

Jericho nodded and the female left. He closed the door behind her and locked the door before walking back into the bedroom. The moonlight was spilling through a gap in the curtains and fell across May's skin, bathing her in gold and silver. One small hand lay palm up.

Jericho kneeled next to the bed, and lowered his head to her palm, breathing in her scent. He placed a gentle kiss in the center and felt May stir. She moved her hand to cup his face before reaching behind him and cupping his neck to bring him closer to her.

"Hello," she said quietly, her eyes roaming over his face.

"Hello," he said just as quietly, moving his hands to the bed and slowly lifting himself to fix his mouth to May's. Her mouth opened immediately and he smiled against her lips. He had taught her this: to kiss.

Her lips kissed his gently before her tongue peeked from between her lips and she ran it along his lower lip. He sucked her tongue into his mouth, not able to help himself.

May pulled her head back, her head falling back onto the pillow and her hair fanning around her like a dark halo.

She moved her hands to either side of her head and smiled at him. He didn't need more of a hint, he covered her body with his own, his hands coming up to grip hers as he pressed his body into her hips.

She gasped into his mouth and he took advantage of it to tease her tongue. She attempted to reciprocate, but he pulled his tongue back, causing her to do exactly what he wanted: she sucked his tongue into her mouth and ran her tongue along it.

Jericho lifted himself, pulling the covers from her body, "Why are you wearing pants?" she asked breathlessly.

"We had a visitor," he said, by way of explanation before sitting up and unbuttoning them. May sat up with him, and slid her small cool hand down the front of his pants until she could grip his cock. Her clasp was unsure, and she stroked him lightly, moving her hand up and down.

He could smell her arousal and she made small groans as she squeezed him, her thumb running along the slit at the top of his cock.

"God!" he cried out, his entire body shaking at the feeling of her exploring him.

He gripped her head and kissed her, she let out a small squeak as they fell to the bed, but Jericho moved fast, reaching around with one hand to brace them while the other one wrapped around her waist. She squeezed him in her surprise and Jericho was done. He kneeled before jumping off the bed, tearing the pants off his body and laying back on May. Her knees automatically parted to move her legs up his hips, her ankles crossing behind his back. He could feel the heat of her as his dick came to rest between the hot wet folds of her body. She gasped, her body arching, nipples rubbing against his chest.

Jericho began kissing his way down her neck, his tongue darting out to taste her skin. She was delicious, and tasted like sweat and salt and something uniquely _May._ She moved her head to the side so he could have better access to her neck, but he continued down her body, and across her chest until he could plump her breast in his hand and fix his mouth to her nipple. His tongue came out to pull her nipple tighter into his mouth, and he suckled hard, rolling her against the roof of his mouth.

May's hands gripped his head, gently pulling the elastic out of his hair to spread it with her fingers.

"Jericho," she breathed quietly, "I love you."  
He faltered, the words causing his heart to beat harder. He lifted his head to stare into her eyes, one hand moving to her other breast to lightly pinch her nipple, "I love you," he said, not looking away from her.

Her eyes dropped to his mouth, a hint he didn't need again, and he took her mouth. She continued to roll her hips against his. He felt her fingers graze up and down his spine, until she was pressing right above each buttock, her fingers moving to grip his ass and pull him tighter against her.

Jericho heard himself growl, and pulled back immediately, "I'm sorry," he apologized.

May shook her head, her eyes heavy lidded and her lips swollen, "No," she said, and suddenly turned. He lifted his weight so she wasn't crushed and she pressed her ass against his cock, pushing up with her hands so she was on her hands and knees. The position ignited something in Jericho, and he lowered his head to her shoulder, biting down to hold her in place. May's head swung down, her hair tickling Jericho's where he had planted them. He gripped her belly, and slowly dipped his fingers through her curls until he could move them through her folds and press his middle finger deep inside her. She covered his finger in hot cream, and tightened around him.

"Please," she begged, rotating her hips. He bit down harder, a warning not to move and gripped his cock, positioning himself at her entrance. He slowly pressed inside, her body resisting the thicker head, until he felt it slip inside. Her entire passage tightened, like she was trying to pull him inside her and squeezed him in hot wet silk.

He pulled his mouth from her shoulder, "May!" he cried out, and began thrusting into her. Each thrust curved his body tighter into hers, and he would hold himself as deep as he could go; loving the way it seemed as if he could hide her from everything.

Her hips rotated again and pressed back, urging him to move faster. He could feel a tiny tremor begin in her arms, and he jerked her against his chest, sitting up so she could sit on his thighs and he could control the depth and speed of his thrusts. One hand held her neck, while he let the other slide down her body and press against her soft belly.

"One day," he told her, pressing kisses into her mouth while thrusting deeply, "our young one will grow here."

She had one hand wrapped in his hair and it moved away, gripping his forearm before lowering to the hand covering her belly. She laced her fingers with his and squeezed his hand tightly, opening her eyes and staring into his.

"Promise?" she asked.

Jericho felt his eyes fill with tears, joy and gratitude warring within his chest. He kissed her lightly, keeping his eyes open to watch her while he thrust again. Her eyes watched his and he felt her squeeze around him.

"I can feel it," he told her, "come."  
She began to shudder, her muscles squeezing him tightly, wringing an orgasm from his body before he was ready. But at the first wash of hot come inside her, she exploded. Her head dropping against his shoulder while her entire body shook and she cried out.

Jericho grazed her neck, alternating licks with tiny kisses. She hummed in pleasure and he lowered her to the bed. She never opened her eyes as he cupped her head and let it fall gently to the pillow.

"I love you," she whispered again, curling onto her side, and grabbing Jericho's hand. She tugged him lightly and he let himself fall next to her. She grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her body, "Go to sleep," she said to him.

He pushed her hair back from her face and kissed her soft cheek, "Yes my love."

* * *

 _Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to read! Please review and critique! It is very helpful!_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

May bucked her hips and kicked with her feet, trying to loosen the straps that held her in place. She felt air between her legs and cried out, pushing her knees together and screaming, "NO!"

She could smell the guard's cologne, it invaded her senses and made her sick. Her stomach rebelled just as she heard a voice cry out, "MAY!"

Her eyes shot open and she sat straight up, rolling out of bed and crawling toward the bathroom on her hands and knees. She felt a strong arm around her waist before she was lifted. She looked around in confusion. She wasn't in Fuller.

The bathroom was bright with early morning sunlight and Jericho was lifting the toilet seat and holding back her hair as she threw up everything in her stomach.

She felt him run his fingers through her hair gently, massaging in small circles before he moved away, reaching across her to flush the toilet. She heard the sink turn on and then he was handing her a cool facecloth.

"I'm sorry," May apologized, looking down at the tile floor.

She felt a cool hand on her chin, forcing her head up. Jericho's eyes were the ruby colored, the pupils nearly pinpricks.

"You are safe," he told her, pulling her into his arms before sitting on the floor.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, turning her body so she could bury her face in his neck.

"This is real," she asked, "please tell me that this is real."

"It's real," he reassured her, rubbing her back, "I promise."

May sat back, and covered her face with her hands, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes. Jericho pulled her hands away from her face so he could see her, "It's real," he told her again.

May made to stand, and Jericho let her, holding her hand so she could brace herself. She moved to the sink, opening a drawer and pulling out a toothbrush and toothpaste, and began brushing her teeth. Jericho noticed that her hand trembled as she brushed and he stood up. He pulled her into his chest and kissed her head.

"You're awake," he said, "you are safe."

May put her toothbrush down and leaned down to take a drink of water. When she stood up, Jericho's eyes were blazing at her. She could feel his erection pressing into the cleft of her bottom. She gave it an experimental wiggle and Jericho growled, his eye darkening.

"Don't move," he said, his voice low and intense.

He pulled her back so she was totally exposed to the mirror.

"Watch me," he directed, as he lined himself up and pushed inside her in one hard thrust.

May cried out, but kept her eyes on Jericho. Color appeared on his cheeks, high and hectic looking. His hair moved along his jaw, in time with his thrusts, and he looked down. May realized he was watching himself enter her body and she became wetter and tighter as she felt the blood rush to the tissues between her legs.

"You're all over me," Jericho husked, his voice just a tiny bit above a growl, "I'll be able to smell you for hours."

May watched him, seeing his jaw twitch as he ground his teeth together. He moved his hands up to cup her breasts, squeezing them tightly before lightly twisting her nipples, and then dropping his hands to her hips.

"Hold onto the counter," he directed, and May moved her hands as he began to pound into her. She panted, trying to keep herself from slamming into the stone top. Jericho wrapped his arm around her hips, anchoring her as he drilled into her. The edges of her vision got hazy as she focused solely on her body and the feel of Jericho. She wanted to reach back and grab him, but his directions echoed through her mind, so she just focused on the feel of him.

"Good girl," he told her, as if reading her mind, and a second later, she was coming, twitching and groaning as her orgasm pulsed through her. Jericho followed right on her heels, spilling into her. She could feel him, leaking from between her legs and down her thighs.

He kept thrusting slowly, even after he'd come, before bending her leg at the knee and spinning her around. He lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist before walking them back into the bedroom.

"I'm going to mount you," he told her, watching her as he thrust, "so you can feel me all day long. If you feel scared or unsure, you'll feel me here," his hand moved between them and rubbed at her clit before rimming her entrance where he continued to thrust, "and you'll know it's real."

May closed her eyes, and let herself get lost in the sensations. _It's real,_ she told herself over and over, _it's real._


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Jericho and May finally left their self-imposed isolation a day later. Jericho was surprised that May's sister hadn't returned. He'd told May about her visit, and explained how she was reacting to May's existence. May had wanted to go to her immediately, but Jericho talked her into letting her have some time with other females. They would help her, and understand her in a way that May couldn't. She had been sad at that, her guilt spilling over to Jericho, who mentally punched himself. It wasn't May's fault that her mother had abandoned her baby to Mercile. May had done everything in her power to get her sister free, but he understood how difficult it was to spent your entire life behind bars and suddenly have freedom.

Tiger had called Jericho, telling him that they hadn't caught Roger Werner. The Task Force had fallen into his trap, and they had nearly lost Leo's mate, Petra, to a group of mercenaries who'd infiltrated the Wild Zone. Petra was fine now; home with Leo and convalescing. _Growing babies,_ Tiger had said.  
Jericho held tighter to May's hand, feeling anxious and exposed. With May, his heart was running around outside his chest. _If anything happened to her…_

He found himself glaring at other males as they walked by. They regarded May curiously, and some, with interest that was quickly banked when they heard Jericho's warning growl.

May looked over at him, her eyes squinting against the sun. Still, he could see that they were twinkling at him wickedly. She pulled at his arm, something Jericho was realizing was a habit of hers when she wanted him to hold her closely, "Are you jealous?"

"No," Jericho growled, lowering his head and nipping at her neck, "I am just warning other males that you are my mate."

May stood on her tip toes and reached up to his shoulders, "They will smell you on me," she whispered to him, "I didn't shower, remember?"

She had been about to get in the shower, but Jericho had pulled her out. He didn't think she would know why, but apparently she did.

"Jericho!" Tiger called to them, jogging over.

Jericho hissed warningly, stepping in front of May.

Tiger put his hands out, palms out, "Sorry!" he said, stopping, "you'd think I'd be better at understanding mate possessiveness."

"You would think," Jericho said under his breath.

May put her hand on his arm, squeezing his bicep.

"Now that you're out of seclusion," Tiger said, tearing another hiss from Jericho, "we would like for you to tell us how Roger Werner contacted you, and everything that led up to Fuller."

May nodded, but Jericho looked at her worriedly, "Are you sure, May?"

She had awoken from sleep two more times, crying out from nightmares. He didn't want her to relive anything that would cause her pain.

"You'll be with me?" she asked, as if the thought just occurred to her. She chewed her lip worriedly.

"Of course," he said, wrapping his arms around her and glaring at Tiger, who he decided was the source of her discomfort. He better tread carefully, because Jericho was feeling very very protective.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

This meeting was quite different than the last time May had spoken with the New Species present. Jericho hadn't allowed many males to speak with her, Darkness, yes, Justice, yes. But when Snow had appeared; Jericho had stood, his eyes darkening and growled a warning.

"I'll just," Snow said, pointing over his shoulder, "wait outside."

"You do that," Jericho said, his fists clenching and unclenching.

"For what it is worth," Snow said, looking at May, "I am sorry."  
"I know," May said quietly, "I understand."

"It is not okay," Jericho growled, "I do not understand. Do not talk to my mate. Leave."

Before they got any further, Justice pushed a piece of paper across the table, "I thought you may like this first," he said, a small smile playing on his lips.

May pulled it closer, "Mating papers?"

Jericho leaned forward, smiling. May looked over at him, his eyes were bright red.

"You're happy?" she asked.

"Very," he replied, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips.

Justice pushed a pen over to May, who looked for her name and signed above it.

"Don't you want to read it?" Darkness asked.

May shook her head, "This makes Jericho mine. That's all I need to know."

Jericho's face watched her in such a way that May felt herself warming. She squeezed her thighs together, and she saw Jericho's nostrils flare. She heard a throat clear, and she looked embarrassed over to the other males, who, she realized, could also smell her arousal.

"Sorry," she whispered, covering her face while handing the pen to Jericho.

He pulled her hand away, and leaned over, gently kissing her. He wrote his name quickly and handed the pen back to Justice.

"So May, tell us how you met Roger Werner."

May swallowed, "I never met him," she said, "I met Dr. Robert Walker."

She saw Jericho exchange glances with the other males.

"I don't understand," he said, "What do you mean you never met him?"

May took a deep breath, and started telling them what had happened, from being approached at the hospital to speaking with her sister on the phone. As if conjured up by May mentioning her, the door flew open and May's sister appeared. She hissed at the males as they stood, her eyes flying around the room until they landed on May.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, walking over to May and smoothing down her hair. It reminded May of a mother cat, licking the head of her baby, and she smiled,

"I'm fine," she said, "they were asking about Roger Werner."

"You should have told me you were talking to her," her sister scolded, "she is my family. I have a right to be here."

"Our apologies, Hope," Justice said, "since we had already spoken, we didn't want to upset you further."

"Hope?" May asked, "Is that the name you chose? It's beautiful."

Hope nodded, "You gave me hope," she said, "the moment I saw your face and knew you were my family and fighting for me, I thought there was a chance for me."

May felt her throat tighten and she reached out her hand, clasping her sisters until she could pull her forward into an embrace. She felt her sister lay her cheek on her head, and rub against her hair.

"Hey," Jericho said quietly.

Her sister gave a soft chuckle, "Sorry," she apologized. When May pulled back, she saw her sister had a slight blush on her cheeks, and she cocked her head, confused.

"I was putting my scent on you," Hope explained, "and learning yours."

"Aww," May said, making Hope laugh. Hope slung an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into her body.

Jericho gave a little growl.

"This is interesting," Tiger said, "Does Fury attempt to put his scent on you?" he said to Darkness.

"No," Darkness growled, then stopped, "I don't think that he does…" he seemed to think about it before lifting his shirt collar and smelling it.

"Maybe it's a female thing," Tiger said.

"Enough," Jericho said, getting them back on track.

May smiled at him and continued, "Dr. Walker gave me the phone to talk to Hope," she said, "he was the one who let me speak with her."  
"That was Werner," Hope interrupted.

May stopped, "He worked at the hospital with me," she whispered, "in the psychiatric department. He said he was a psychologist."  
Darkness began typing into a laptop he had, "God damn," he breathed, before turning it around to face them, "Roger Werner," he stated, showing them the staff photo on the hospital website.

"That's him," Hope stated, her face smoothing blankly.

May could almost sense her disquiet, that she was withdrawing into herself. She put her arms around her sister and squeezed her tightly, "It's okay," she told her, "you're safe now."

Hope's arms came up to enfold May, "Thanks to you," she said quietly.

"So how do we get this bastard?" May asked, "What do you need me to do?"


	27. Chapter 27

_**Thank you for hanging in there for my story posts! I hope that you enjoy the rest of the story. I appreciate the fact that you take the time to read the stories and comment on them! Thank you so very very much~ Ripley**_

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

Hope and Jericho answered at the same time, "Nothing!"

May struggled to keep from rolling her eyes, "I'm not asking to storm the barricade," she said, "or whatever it is military types do. But I do have hospital identification, and I know where he works."

Tiger looked at Justice, "We need to get the Task Force on this. See if he's been in. He would have anticipated May telling us who he was."

"Why does he keep experimenting on New Species?" May asked, "It makes no sense. You'd think he'd just cut and run, be glad he wasn't swept up when the rest of Mercile went down."

"That's the million dollar question, May," Justice replied, "The humans who worked at Mercile were the worst type of human, and they were full of their own self-worth and importance. They're narcissistic. Worse than that, they're psychopaths. For a short time, they had the ultimate venue to indulge in their sick fantasies. Most likely they want to recreate that time, to regain the power they lost when Mercile was shut down."

May was speechless. What Justice was describing was horrifying, but what he was implying was that these people would never stop, until whatever it was that was their goal was accomplished.

She hadn't realized she was doing it, but she'd crossed her arms tightly across her chest. She felt one being slowly drawn away from her body before Jericho was lacing his fingers with hers.

"I'm surprised your walls aren't taller and your guns aren't bigger," she choked out.

"Our guns are big enough," Tiger said, smiling and leaning forward, "biggest guns there are."

Two simultaneous growls echoed through the room, and both Hope and Jericho bared their fangs at him.

May looked confused toward Jericho, "I think I missed something," she whispered.

"No," Jericho said, still staring at Tiger, "you didn't."

Justice cleared his throat, "Enough," he said quietly, "May, if we, or the Task Force, need any help from you, we will be sure to contact you."

Jericho growled again, and Hope snarled, hissing and leaning forward, her fingers curled into claws.

"But," he continued, "we do not want to use mates as bait, or put them in dangerous situations. We have learned harsh lessons from such choices."

Justice's face looked sad, and May had to wonder what situation he was talking about. She hoped no one had been hurt or killed.

"Okay," she answered, "Let me know."

Jericho stood up, helping May to her feet and nodding at Hope before walking them out of the room. May could sense his tension; his entire body radiated stress. He led her to a jeep, and helped her in silently.

"Jericho?" she asked, when he sat next to her, putting her hand on his arm.

Jericho jumped, like she'd burned him, his lip lifting to show his fangs. May pulled her hand back in surprise, like she'd touched a hot stove. His face immediately morphed from anger to regret.

"May…" he choked, reaching for her, cupping his hand around her neck and drawing her face towards his chest, "God. Forgive me."

May rested her cheek on his chest, "I don't understand," she whispered, "Did I do something?"

She could feel a tremor through him and his chest expanded with a deep breath, "No," he said, breathing her in, "No, of course not."

He drew back, throwing the jeep in gear and driving. For some reason, May didn't believe him.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Jericho had nearly lost control in the security office when Justice had said he would contact May if they needed help. He had seen Orion after Stella had been kidnapped; had seen him run from the security office possessed, heard his howls of grief and rage and despair, and he had sworn that would never be him.

But he had already lost May once. He had allowed men to take her from him, bring her to Fuller and abuse her. He had held her through nightmare after nightmare each night, all the while knowing, he could have prevented them. She was hurt because of him, because he denied his instincts. Doubt began to grow inside him, what if he would never be able to keep her safe?

He drove up to their house and was surprised to see another jeep in the driveway.

"Stay here," he commanded, his voice harder than he intended.

He jumped out of the jeep and strode to the house, his body primed for fighting.

"Jericho!" he heard a female's voice and stopped.

Kit, a female from Homeland, came around the corner of the house. She was wearing her uniform and smiling brightly at him. On a recent visit to Homeland, Jericho had shared sex with her. It had been an almost clinical experience that Jericho did not want to repeat, and neither had Kit, considering how quickly she asked him to leave her bed. But she hadn't looked away from his eyes and hadn't been frightened of him, so even if he wasn't interested in her, he had felt a sort of kinship. She seemed as broken as him. However, since leaving her, he'd not given her another thought.

"Kit?" he asked confused.

She moved closer to him, her nose scrunching up, "You stink of human, Jericho," she complained and moved closer to him, putting one hand on her hip and running her hand up his chest.

Jericho stepped back quickly, swallowing the warning snarl that was tickling the back of his throat.

"Please do not touch me," he asked, aware of May in the jeep behind him.

He heard the door of the jeep slam, and turned around quickly. Kit would hurt May if she felt challenged.

"Hey!" May called out, her small voice trembling.

"Is that human talking to me?" Kit asked in disbelief.

"May," Jericho turned around and raised his palms up to stop her, "stop."

"She was touching you!" May said, sharply. Jericho could smell her anger and confusion.

Jericho felt Kit's hand on the small of his back, a possessive gesture that was not lost on May. Her eyes flicked to Kit's hand and back up to Jericho.

"What's going on?" she asked, her eyes widening.

Jericho moved away quickly, _what the fuck was happening here? How had everything spun out of control so fast?_

The wind blew and May's hair flew around her head, throwing her scent toward Kit.

"You mounted her?" Kit laughed in Jericho's ear, "a human? You must have been desperate. You should have called me."

"What is wrong with you?" Jericho asked, spinning around and taking Kit's shoulders in his hands to set her away from him.

"Hey!" May cried out, before somehow managing to wedge herself between Kit and Jericho, "Don't touch her!"

Kit hissed in May's face. Jericho wrapped his arms around May, pulling her into his chest and turning away, hunching his body protectively over hers. He heard the screech of more tires and then a roar. He had time to see a brown-haired streak fly over him and then Kit was flying away from him.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

May was in shock. She had watched the New Species female approach Jericho, and then start going all handsy on him. She was beautiful, tall and strong, with long flowing hair and bright eyes. May's hand had gone up to the back of her head, feeling the bald spot that the nurse at Fuller had given her. She'd pulled her hair half up today, but it fell unevenly. Watching this female made May more than aware of her own physical deficits.

Jericho had stepped away but the female had continued to approach. A feeling of anger and protectiveness had overwhelmed May. Jericho was her mate. No one else was allowed to touch him. She hadn't even thought, then, about her size and fighting prowess, all she had been consumed with was Jericho.

But then he had spoken to her in that angry voice and it was like being doused in cold water. _What did he want her to do?_ What if this female was someone important to him? And the female touched him again!

The female had looked at May like she was a bug, _you mounted her?_ She'd asked, her voice laced with laughter and disbelief, and Jericho had touched her. May's entire body rejected that touch, and without thinking, she'd inserted herself between the two New Species. The next thing she knew, she was wrapped in Jericho's arms, and the sounds of hissing and snarling filled her ears.

May stared in wide-eyed disbelief as Hope pummeled the female into the ground. The other female grabbed Hope's hair, trying to keep her teeth from her throat, because, yes, Hope was trying to tear out the female's throat.

"Hope!" she cried out, pulling against Jericho to reach her sister.

"Stop!" he roared, but the females paid no attention to him.

"Hope, please!" May cried, her stomach sick. This was not what she wanted. She did not want Hope fighting other New Species.

The female flipped Hope around, and landed a punch to Hope's temple, "NO!" May screamed, "Jericho," she looked at him desperately, "Please."

But he didn't have to do anything, soon the yard was flooded with New Species, pulling the two apart. The female kicked and clawed at the males holding her, but Hope stood on her own. Once she had been pulled off, she had bent her knees and stayed in what May recognized as a fighting stance. She saw a human standing nearby; he must be one of the men from the Task Force because he was almost as big as the New Species around them.

Hope turned on her heel abruptly and came up to May. She spared a glance at Jericho, but quickly focused her gaze on May, "Are you hurt?" she asked.

May shook her head, nerves starting to overwhelm her and she trembled.

"Good," Hope said, taking May's arm, and pulling her from a surprised Jericho, "let's go."

"Wait," May said, looking back at Jericho.

"No," Hope said, "no 'wait.' He will not protect you. You are coming with me."

"Jericho," May called to him, needing to talk to him.

Jericho took a step toward her, his fangs bared, "Hope," he said warningly.

"No, Jericho," Hope said, pushing May into the jeep and fastening her seatbelt. May attempted to unbuckle herself, but her treacherous hands trembled too much.

"Hope, wait," May said to her, but Hope's eyes were blazing and the look she gave May dared her to argue. May's mouth popped open, it was, completely and totally, the look her mother had given her when May had attempted to argue as a teenager. It was a look that took no prisoners, and May was so surprised, she couldn't do anything but stare.

Jericho moved fast, jumping in front of the jeep, but Hope was faster, jamming her foot down on the gas and peeling down the road. May saw Jericho start to chase them, but Hope went faster, and he soon became a speck.

"He's going to be so mad," May whispered.

Hope snorted, "He doesn't get to be mad," she said, "you can't defend yourself, what was he thinking allowing Kit close to you."

"Kit?" May asked.

"The female," Hope said, "she came with me from Homeland. She is one difficult female. And that's saying something."

May let her head fall against the seat, "So where are we going?" she asked, "I'll give you an hour, maybe, before I make you bring me back."  
"You can't go back, May," Hope said, her eyes narrowing.

"Oh, please," May scoffed, "Of course I can. He is my mate, and he needs to explain why that…"  
"Kit," Hope added helpfully.

"Kit," May said, "was all over him."

"One thing I have learned," Hope said, "is that New Species males share sex a lot. I'm sure she was hoping to share sex again."

"And you left him with her!" May screeched, "How is that helping me?! Turn the car around, Hope. You pull her hair out and I'll break her fingers."

May heard the shrill ringing of a phone, and Hope reached in her pocket, looking at the number, "It's probably for you," Hope said, sighing and handing the phone to May.

May narrowed her eyes at Hope, "If I'm in trouble…" she warned.

Hope had the good sense to blush as May pressed the button to speak, "Hello?"

"May?" It was Jericho, "Where are you? Are you okay? I'm so sorry. So sorry baby, please come back. Don't leave, please." His voice was quiet, but she could hear his desperation and pain through the line.

"I'm just down the road," May soothed, "I'm letting Hope take me for a ride to calm down and then she's bringing me home."

"I'm sorry," Jericho said.

"We can talk about it when I get home, okay?" May said, "Is Kit still there?"

There was a pause, "Jericho?" May said, "Is Kit still with you?"

"She is," Jericho finally answered, "but so is everyone else…"

"Jericho," May breathed. She shook her head. This poor male didn't have a clue, and though May was angry, seething even, she could sense his confusion and uncertainty, "I'll be home soon. I promise. Just…" she hesitated but then continued, "Please make her go. I don't want her around you."

"I will, she is even now. They just needed to bandage her first," he answered quickly.

"Okay," she breathed, "I'll be back soon."

"May," Jericho said, a tremor in his voice, "I love you. Please don't be gone long."

May smiled, "I love you too," she replied, "but you have some explaining to do when I get back."

"I know," Jericho answered, sounding for all the world like a scolded little boy.

May pressed the disconnect button and handed the phone back to Hope.

"He's in so much trouble?" Hope asked, a little too gleefully for May.

"No," May answered, pressing her thumbs against her temples to ward off a headache.

"No?" Hope said disappointed.

"No," May said firmly, but she did need to understand what was going on with him. From the time they had left the security office, until the time Hope had done her American Gladiator impression, Jericho had seemed off, and May intended to learn why.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Hope drove May all around Reservation before finally parking their car near the western wall. It was a beautiful place; no houses or buildings to be seen. This part of the wall had no entrance, but there was an NSO officer who had stopped by a few minutes earlier on an ATV, and then another officer had a few minutes later. Apparently they ran a circuitous route that had a different officer constantly passing by walls so no spot was unguarded for more than a moment or two.

Hope had handed May an Almond Joy and a can of Sprite before opening the door to the jeep and spreading out a blanket on the ground nearby.

"Sister picnic?" she said, grinning up at May.

May smiled back, "We have about ten minutes," she said.

Hope's smile dimmed a little, but she shrugged, "We'll just have to make real plans for next time, maybe we could go dancing?"

May lowered herself to sit crosslegged on the blanket and leaned against one of the tires, "Sounds fun," she answered, before taking a bite of her candy bar.

"I think this kind is my favorite," she told Hope.

"Me too," Hope said, before popping the top on her soda and taking a big gulp.

Hope's phone chimed and she looked down at it, her eyes narrowing.

"What's the matter?" May asked, after she swallowed.

"Breeze is telling me to bring you back home," she answered, using her ring finger, the only finger May could see that wasn't covered in chocolate to answer.

May watched her type, "You've learned so much in such a short time," she said, "Did they give you the phone right away? What other things have you been learning?"

Hope closed her eyes and lifted her face up to the sunlight, "Cooking, laundry, driving, which I am obviously good at, communication…"  
"What's that mean?" May asked, curious.

"Oh," Hope said, "using words instead of fists, or teeth, or snarls… still working on that," she added with a smile.

"But you can still do it?" May asked concerned, "they're not telling you _not_ to snarl or growl or whatever. Because you should still do those things," May started feeling upset, "It's part of who you are! It's not fair to ask you not to do that!"

Hope sat up, watching May closely, "You are upset," she observed, "why?"

"Because you shouldn't change who you are! If you want to snarl at me, snarl! I don't care, I'll figure out what you mean!" May huffed.

"You are worried about me," Hope commented, "and protective."

"Of course I am!" May answered loudly, "You're my sister! I love you! I don't want people telling you not to be yourself!"

Hope's arm shot out and pulled May into her body. May could feel Hope's body rumbling, and she realized, she was purring. Hope rubbed her face back and forth across May's head, "You love me?"

Tears filled May's eyes and she wondered, had anyone ever told Hope that before? _Probably not._

May put her arms around Hope to embrace her, "I love you," she said again, "you are my family and we will take care of each other forever."

She heard a sniffle before Hope's arms tightened and released her. May looked at her and saw Hope rubbing her hands across her eyes. A small smile played across Hope's lips, "I love you too," she said, taking a deep breath.

She stared out at the wall for a moment, before sighing again and then saying, "As for your question, no one gave me the phone. It was from Werner, I just hung onto it."

May's stomach dropped, "You kept it?" she whispered.

She reached for it, picking it up from the blanket and quickly thumbing into settings, shutting off location services and _find my phone_ and anything else that might show where they were.

"We have to go," May said, standing up, "we need to get rid of your phone. It can be traced and I don't want you carrying it. Werner could find you!"

Hope watched her wide-eyed, "I didn't know," she breathed, "I am so sorry May, I didn't know."

"It's okay," May tried to reassure her quickly, throwing the blanket in the backseat and jumping into the jeep, "I'm sure it's fine. But let's go, okay?"

Hope nodded, and cranked the jeep. May heard a rumble and looked over, thinking it was one of the NSO officers on their ATV, but it wasn't. She looked around, not seeing anything, and then, she looked at the wall. Men were swarming over it, dressed in black tactical gear and sliding down ropes, headed right for Hope and May.

"Shit," Hope said, looking at May before throwing her phone out of the jeep and pressing hard on the gas. May heard a pop and the jeep was spinning out of control. Dirt was flying all around them, as they bounced over the hill, back toward Reservation.

There was another loud bang and the jeep stopped, "Get out get out!" Hope yelled, "run!"


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Jericho stared at the soda, "Want something harder?" the bartender, Christmas, asked him.

Jericho shook his head, staring dejectedly at the can.

"What's the problem?" a voice asked.

Jericho peered to the side and saw Snow. He took another gulp of soda, before spinning the can and shaking his head, "Nothing."

"Are you going to make me interrogate you?" Snow asked.

Jericho couldn't help the chuckle, "I am still mad at you," he told him.

Snow sighed, "I understand."

Jericho pulled the elastic band out of his hair and ran his hands through it, "It's May," he started.

"Go on," Snow said, propping his head on his hand and giving Jericho a wave.

"I didn't protect her," Jericho continued, "I let her be sent to Fuller and then, Kit attacked her, and Hope attacked Kit, and then took May."

Snow stared at him, blinking and then, "Wait, what?"

Jericho had to look away, "How can I protect her? I didn't protect her from Fuller and I didn't protect her from Kit."

Snow ran his hand down his face, "I see what you mean," he answered.

Jericho groaned, "I am not a good mate," he said.

"She agreed to become your mate?" Snow asked, amazed.

"I find your tone insulting," Jericho answered drily.

"Listen," Snow said, "she went to Fuller to protect her sister. And she did. Her sister was released because of her choices. But you got her out of Fuller, and, apparently, mated with her. She chose you, Jericho. After Fuller. She has no doubts about you, so why do you doubt yourself?"

The radio at Snow's belt cackled, "Breach at Section 84 of west wall. All available officers to security for weapons and transport."

Jericho stood up, as did many of the other New Species in the bar, and rushed out. He ran with Snow to the security office, getting inside his head, listing off the things that needed to be done. Fury and Tiger were there, barking out orders.

"Petra and Tammy are secured; Leo and Valiant are hunting. We have officers there already, and they have been engaged with high caliber weapons. They've been pinned down by a sniper, and are unable to extract the females."

Jericho's stomach plummeted, "What females?" he asked.

Tiger's head turned toward him quickly, his face paling.

"What females, Tiger?" Jericho asked again, already knowing the answer.

"I'm sorry, Jericho," Tiger said, "Someone was supposed to find you before you made it here."

Jericho roared. The New Species next to him jumped back in surprise.

"Let's go," Snow told him, handing him a weapon. Jericho could barely hear him through the rage that was plugging his ears. He followed Snow through the crowd of males, who parted for him immediately. He met some gazes and thought he saw pity there.

Snow jumped on an ATV and pointed to one for Jericho. He got on, his vision tunneling. He focused on Snow and put the machine in gear, roaring across Reservation. Snow stopped well before the battle, but he could hear the volleying of gunshots. Jericho slung his weapon across his back and began hunting. When they got closer, he took to the trees, moving with a grace that his size belied. He swung from branches and leapt across divides; one thought hammered through his mind, _Protect May._

As he approached the wall, he could see humans surrounding a jeep. It had bottomed out in a gully. He scanned the area desperately for Hope and May. A reflection from a tree showed the possible location of the sniper. The other humans were slowly making their way forward, using rocks and trees as cover. Jericho saw a tiny flicker of movement beneath the jeep, a small foot pulling back underneath it. _There._ That was May. He looked around for Hope, finally seeing a flash of dark hair along the tree line. Hope had made it to the trees, leaving May under the jeep. Why would she abandon her there?

Jericho stopped himself from growling, but his hands gripped the branch he was perched on tighter, the bark cutting into his palms. He could smell another male nearby and turned in that direction. Leo was in the trees as well; it was a feline/primate party, and it was in the sky. When they landed, the humans were in for a nasty surprise.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

May could smell gasoline and she could feel something wet dripping onto her ankles. She shifted her legs again, trying to pull herself more fully under the jeep. She heard the high pitched snap of bullets and felt dirt spray against her legs, peppering her feet with tiny cuts. She hoped with all of her heart that Hope had made it to the trees. She had told May to run, but she couldn't. She had jumped out of the jeep and landed wrong, her foot refusing to take her weight. Hope had pulled her to her back in a fireman's carry, ready to run her to the forest, but there was not enough cover for them both. May had rolled and tumbled to the ground. Hope had dropped down immediately, but the bullets had started flying, almost as if they were trying to separate them. For that, May was glad, because when she told Hope to go, that she had to get help and come back to her, Hope had listened. May leaned down again, but she couldn't see anything but grass and dirt.

If Hope didn't get help, if she died out here, Jericho would be so upset. She worried that he would hurt himself. She never should have left him with Kit thinking she was angry. She hoped he remembered how much she loved…

An earsplitting, bone shaking roar pierced the cacophony of battle sounds, drowning out everything. The humans stopped shooting, and May could hear them yelling out to each other. She had no idea where the roar had come from, it seemed to come from everywhere, like a tornado of sound that dropped out of the sky. And then there was screaming, roaring and snarling: New Species had arrived. There were the sounds of gunshots, but none of them came close to her.

The roar sounded again, and May covered her ears.

"MAY!"

It was Jericho, she looked under the jeep, trying to see where he was, "JERICHO!" she yelled, "I'M OKAY!"

"MAY!" he yelled again and then she could hear his feet pounding against the ground. She heard a shot, and a second later heard the sound like a spark catching. She looked behind her and saw flames flickering from underneath the jeep.

"JERICHO!" she screamed, and pulled herself from under the jeep, strong arms caught her up, holding her tight. His smell enveloped her and his burgundy eyes took in every detail of her countenance. He pulled her, and they began to run, her ankle screaming at her.

She heard another shot and then a grunt from Jericho, "Keep going," he said breathlessly, his face pale, and his eyes dark.

A huge boom sounded from behind them, and May felt a searing wave of heat that lifted her up. She would have been tossed if not for Jericho, who covered her with his body. She squeezed her eyes tight before she was slammed back down.

But she never touched the ground, instead, Jericho's arms tightened around her and his body cushioned her fall. He hit the ground with an oomph, but didn't let her go.

"Jericho," she said, pushing her hair out of her face, and moving off of him. Her hands moved along his body.

"I'm sorry," he said to her, drawing his eyebrows together and wincing in pain.

May shook her head, "No no," she said, "you don't need to be sorry. Where do you hurt?"

She started at his head and worked her way down his body, becoming strangely calm. She put her fingers on his wrist, and leaned her head to his chest. She could hear him wheezing and his pulse was thready. Her mind started clicking through her medical training. Her hands moved over his shoulders and arms, her fingertips coming away red. _Gunshot_.

She knew the internal injuries that could result from the pressure wave of the explosion, collapsed lungs, burst alveoli, severed blood vessels, traumatic brain injury.

"May," he choked, reaching for her, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. She grabbed it, and held it to her face.

"I need to get him out of here!" she screamed, praying someone would hear her, and bring her a med kit, something.

If he was already having trouble breathing, he had internal trauma. May's brain went into overdrive; ticking off possibilities, fear winding it's way to her heart.

"You're going to be okay," she told him, staring at him, willing at him to believe her, "you stay with me okay? I need you. No one else can keep me safe. I need you."

A body landed next to hers; and May looked over to see an out-of-breath human, "What happened?" he asked, pulling a kit from across his back.

May heard a helicopter overhead, so she had to yell as she started listing Jericho's symptoms, and their possible causes. Before she knew it, he was being loaded onto a backboard and they were running him toward the helicopter. She followed, each step agony.

At the helicopter, one of the humans stopped her, "I'm sorry," he yelled over the noise of the blades, "there's not room!"

"I'm a doctor!" she yelled back, a little bit of a lie, she had gone to med school, she just wasn't a doctor yet.

He didn't utter another word, just pulled her arm and got her on the helicopter.

"I need oxygen, get him warm, how are we on the IV push? Find the gunshot site and stop bleeding. I want the hospital ready with blood, x-rays and ct scans. He most likely has blunt force trauma, possible shearing, and blast lung."

May worked steadily, keeping her eyes on Jericho, who stared at her with complete attention. She looked down, checking his IV line, and when she looked back up, his eyes were closed.

"Pulse!" she called out.

"Dropping," the medic called out.

"No no no," she said, and started calling out what she needed. She felt the helicopter touch down and then Jericho was being pulled away from her. She tried to follow, taking a shaky step out of the helicopter, but her leg collapsed underneath her.

"Are you okay?" someone asked her

"Yes," she answered and hobbled after Jericho.

He was whisked into a bay, and May made to push through the doors when a tall New Species nurse stopped her, "You can't go in there."  
"He's my mate," she choked out, "please."

He shook his head, "I'm sorry," he told her, "wait here. We'll tell you what's happening as soon as we know."

May felt her leg give way and she slid to the floor.

 _Don't leave me, Jericho,_ she thought, _I need you. Please. I love you. Don't leave me._

She waited an eternity, her body growing numb even as she shook with cold. She heard a door slam and then, "May," Hope's voice choked out.

May looked up with bleak eyes, "They won't let me see him," she said, in a voice she didn't recognize.

Tears streamed out of Hope's eyes and she sat down next to May, pulling her into her arms. May leaned her head on her shoulder, wanting to cry, but she couldn't.

"He will be fine," Hope said, rubbing her face in May's hair, "He is a strong male, and he would never leave you unprotected. He will fight to stay with you."

May nodded her head, "I love him," she said.  
"I know," Hope replied, "he knows. He will live."

Hope pulled back, looking May over, "Are you alright?" she asked.

May nodded, opening her mouth to speak, just as the door to the trauma bay opened, "May?" the doctor, a young pretty woman asked, pulling off her mask.

"Yes?" May asked, her heart thumping as she attempted to get to her feet.

"Jericho is going to be fine," she said, smiling.

"Thank God," May cried, the tears she'd been holding back running freely down her face.

"He has multiple broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and some internal bleeding that we got under control. He doesn't appear to have any brain trauma, but we're going to need to keep giving him x-rays to make sure we didn't miss anything. We've been able to give him healing drugs, and expect him to start waking soon."

May nodded, her hand covering her mouth, "Okay. Can I see him?"

The doctor hesitated, "He may act out of character when he awakens. It's because of the drugs we had to give him. They tend to make New Species more aggressive."  
May nodded quickly. It didn't matter. She just wanted to see him.

The doctor led her inside, glancing briefly at May, "Are you alright?" she asked, watching May hobble.

"Fine," May answered, "I just twisted my ankle." Her eyes focused only on Jericho.

May had never seen him so pale and still. She took in the wires and monitors and choked.

She reached out a hand, tracing her finger down his arm until she could hold his fingers. His body was hot, touching him was like holding her fingers in front of a flame. He was fighting right now, trying to kill off infections and heal bones. Her poor mate. She leaned down, pushing his hair off his forehead, and kissing it. His hair was matted and messy and she began to finger comb it; holding it away from his head so it wouldn't pull, and working out the snarls.

"Would you like a comb?" the nurse from earlier asked.

May jumped, not having heard him come in, and nodded. He handed her a comb, and May took it. She spread Jericho's hair out as well as she could and began working out the tangles. She hummed under her breath, and was careful not to pull. Soon his hair was shiny and smooth. She put the comb away and used her hand, leaning forward until she could rest her head on the pillow and feel Jericho's breath on her face. She was where she needed to be. She reached out her hand, putting it on his chest, soothed by the regular rise and fall of his breathing. He was going to be alright.

"I love you so much," she whispered to him, studying his face. She smoothed his eyebrows and kissed his cheek, "Wake up soon, okay. I'm waiting for you."


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Jericho could smell something mouthwatering, it was familiar and loved, but he couldn't place it. He breathed in again, flaring his nostrils, trying to pull in more of the delicious scent, but his nose was hit with something else: human. He felt rage, hurt, confusion, where was the human?  
His eyes shot open and he sat up, hissing and snarling, his fangs exposed in warning.

May was reaching for him, "Jericho," she reassured him, "You're okay. You're in the hospital, but you're okay."

"May," he croaked, reaching forward and pulling her up and over the bed rail until he could cradle her in his arms. He pulled his head back so he could look her over, his hand running over her head, through her hair, checking for wounds.

"Has anyone seen you yet?" he asked, his voice harsh and broken.

May shook her head, "Later," she answered, "I didn't want to leave you."

Jericho looked around the bed, and pressed the "call" button, "They'll see you now," he commanded.

May laid her head on his chest, "Whatever you want," she said "I'm just glad you can tell me what to do again."

Jericho husked a laugh and felt May's body tremble. The healing drugs were making him anxious and possessive. The tremble made him remember other times he'd felt his mate shiver, and he felt himself harden beneath the sheet.

"Later," he whispered in her ear, "I need you."

May looked up, "I need you too," she answered as the door opened and Trisha entered.

"Hi Doc," Jericho said, looking up.

"Hey Jericho," Trisha answered, moving her stethoscope around so she could listen to his chest.

"Wait," he told her, just as she was about to lay it against his chest, "I want you to look May over."

Trisha smiled and put her stethoscope back around her neck, "Sure," she answered, "feeling worried?"

He nodded, worry didn't touch the level of emotion he felt when he thought of May being injured.

"You going to let me look at that foot?" Trisha asked May.

Jericho saw her blush and nod. He sat up on the bed, helping May, as she turned and let her feet swing over the side.

He situated all of the wires and tubes attached to him before peering over the side to see what Trisha was doing. He hissed when he got a look at May. Her leg was swollen, from the heel of her foot to her knee. It was bruised and ugly, and he could see a protrusion against the inside of skin.

"I'll take an x-ray," Trisha said sighing, "but I can tell you right now, it's broken. How did you walk on this?" She asked, staring at May in disbelief.

"I had some incentive," she replied drily, sucking in a breath when Trisha lightly laid her fingers on the skin.

"Yeah," Trisha said, "I need you in the radiography and then we need to set that."

"I don't want to leave Jericho," she said in a tiny voice, "It can wait. It's not going to kill me."

"I thought you said you were a doctor," Trisha said, all amusement gone from her voice, "if the bone is pressing on an artery or blood vessel you're in danger of bleeding. You could get an infection and lose your foot."

Jericho started pulling out the tubes and wires attached to his body. May spun around, "What are you doing?" she asked horrified, trying to stop his hands, "You can't move! Stay still!"

"If you're not going to get an x-ray because you don't want to leave me, then I'll just come with you," he told her, yanking out the IV with a wince.

"NO!" May said loudly, "Trisha," she looked at the doctor for help.

"He's gonna do what he wants," Trisha said loyally, "You might as well come with me."

May put her hand over Jericho's, "Fine!" she grumbled, "I'll go. But you stay here," she said, pointing at him, "And you," she narrowed her eyes at the doctor, "I'm probably going to need a wheelchair so could you please get me one of those?"

Trisha smiled sweetly and pulled a wheelchair from the corner, wheeling it close to the bed and helping May get in.

"Promise not to go anywhere?" May asked him.

Jericho laid his hand over his heart, "Promise," he said, "make sure you do whatever they want."

May sighed, "I'll be back as soon as I can," she said, "I love you."

Jericho smiled, "I love you too."

He watched her get wheeled out the door. Trisha turned around just before they exited and said, "Don't move, I'm sending in Destiny to fix your IV."

Jericho nodded and let his head fall back to rest on his pillow.

"I'm sorry" a female voice said from the doorway, "I should never have forced her to leave with me."

Jericho closed his eyes, "It's okay, Hope. I let her go."

He heard her come closer to the bed and sit heavily in the chair beside him, "I just wanted to protect her."

Jericho smiled, turning his head to look over at her, "Me, too," he answered.

"I didn't do a very good job of it," Hope replied morosely, "We didn't even get Werner. He sent those men in to die, but they nearly killed my sister first."

Jericho hissed, "I would feel better knowing we were both protecting her."

Hope looked up at him, "I want to be part of her life."

"You're her sister, Hope," Jericho said, "of course you will be."

Hope mashed her lips together in way that screamed of May and Jericho smiled, "You are my family, too now."

"This world is overwhelming," Hope replied tiredly.

"I know," Jericho sympathized, "but anything is possible. Look at me. I have scared off females all my life, and then the tiniest, bravest human in the world took me on, fell in love with me, and became my mate. Imagine what lies in your future."

Hope smiled, "Yes," she answered, "just imagine."


	34. Epilogue

**Epilogue**  
May hobbled through the medical center, carrying a copy of her academic transcripts to Trisha's office. Trisha had agreed to let May do her internship at the Medical Center at Reservation. Jericho walked closely at her side, his hand wrapped around hers. He wanted to carry her through the hospital, in fact, he wanted to carry her everywhere, but May told him it wouldn't inspire confidence in her future patients if she entered their room like a bride every time she checked on them. Jericho had just snarled. May smiled to herself, she really liked those snarls.

The past few weeks had been spent healing, making love, and talking. They had decorated their house, focusing on their living room and building bookshelves right into the wall. Then they had started ordering. They ordered all the books they had talked about the first day they had met. May ordered books she thought Jericho would like, and Jericho ordered books he thought she would like. He had blushed when opening the package with _The Kama Sutra._

"I don't know if I should be intrigued or offended," he stated bluntly.

May pulled it out of his hands. "I didn't order that for you," she said, embarrassed, "I just want to be on my A-game is all."

She hid the book behind her back. Jericho had attempted to get it, and they had ended up groping and wrestling for it, before eventually giving up and attacking each other, peeling off clothes and melding their bodies together. May blushed as she remembered the things Jericho had done; she thought she remembered him using the book to prop her hips as he explored her with his mouth.

She heard him give a swift inhalation next to her before his arm wrapped around her waist. In a blur of movement, she heard a door open, get kicked shut, and then a crash as supplies fell around their bodies.

"What are you doing?" she asked, breathlessly, as Jericho pinned her against the wall.

"You are aroused," he said, his voice low, "I need to take care of you. It's my job as your mate to make sure all your needs are met."  
"I'm supposed to meet Trisha," she said without any real conviction.

"You will," he said, as he lifted her legs and hoisted her up.

May felt him press his erection into the cradle of her thighs and she sucked in a breath. He leaned his head toward her slowly, pressing his lips softly to hers. His tongue sneaking out and lightly tracing her lips.

"Unless you want to go now?" he asked, pulling his head back, and surveying her with a smile.

May moved her hands from their grasp on his biceps to his neck, pulling his head back to hers so she could attach her lips to him. She let her passion guide her, sucking his tongue into her mouth. She curled her lips around his tongue giving him a light suck, before twirling her tongue tip around him, and sucking on him harder. Jericho thrust against her, rolling his hips so she could feel him from base to tip. His strong body held her up, so May could move her hands to his jeans, unsnapping and unzipping so she could reach him. His cock was hot, and she lightly traced him, one finger following his thickly veined shaft before grasping the head. She rotated her hand and squeezed, driving down hard and tight until she could cup his balls.

Jericho groaned, thrusting into her hand.

"No," he said gruffly, taking her hands and pulling her them above her head, pinning them with one hand.

May bit her lip as she watched him. His eyes were focused on her skirt. She hadn't bothered with pants since she had a cast that wouldn't fit through a pant leg. She felt him pulling the skirt up and around her hips before his fingers pressed against her panties.

"You're wet, May," Jericho whispered, watching his fingers play along the outside of her folds, "Do you ache for me?" his eyes flashed up to hers.

May nodded quickly, still biting her lip.

"Tell me, May," he demanded, pulling her lip from between her teeth, "What do you ache for?"

"You," she whispered.

"What part of me?" he asked, smiling at her, letting one finger tip press against her clit through her panties.

"Your fingers," May said, feeling herself blush.

Jericho cocked his head to the side, "Is that all?"

May sighed as his finger tip began to move in small circles around the bud, "N-no," she got out.

His fingers moved to the waistband of her underwear. She felt him fist it and then heard the rip as he tore them away.

"No more underwear, May," he told her, tilting her chin so she could look in his eyes, "Do you understand?" His hand moved back to her clit, and May sighed. One finger dipped inside her as his whole hand pressed against her clit: press and release, press and release.

May closed her eyes and let her head fall back, absorbed by the beautiful ache forming in her center.

"May," Jericho said softly, "Do. You. Understand?"

May opened confused eyes, "What?"

He chuckled, "A conversation for a later time, then," he said, and without further foreplay, thrust his long thick length into her.

May cried out before Jericho muffled her mouth with his own. She could feel every slick inch of him as he held himself deep inside her. She could feel his tip, and the warm flow of precum as it tapped gently against her cervix. She could feel the press of the mushroomed head against her vaginal walls, and his balls as they slapped against her ass.

Jericho's mouth consumed hers. He didn't give her time to think; he overwhelmed her senses. He held her hand above her head, and pulled his head from hers, burying his face in the crook of her neck, kissing lightly, before biting down to hold her even more firmly in place.

His hips pistoned, pushing her back against the wall. When her back hit, he moved fast, flipping them so he would bear the brunt of any discomfort. Her hands gripped his shoulders and she helped him as he lifted her up and down on his cock. She tightened her inner walls, trying to hold onto him when he lifted her up with his hands.

He made a sound between a groan and a snarl. She thought it was a good sound, so she did it again, but this time, it affected her as much as it affected him. She felt a warmth build in her lower stomach, before wrapping around her clit. She cried out a warning that she was close, and then her entire body tensed around Jericho's. Her arms pulled him into her, her mouth sucked his tongue into hers, and her body held his cock inside her. She heard him roar, and then she felt the heavy spurt of his cum inside her. It went on and on, filling her up with even more heat, encouraging her own orgasm to continue.

Jericho rocked against her slowly, "I don't suppose I could walk you to Trisha's like this?" he joked before groaning as he pulled out of her.

"Do you really want everyone to see your butt?" she asked, "and mine?"

Jericho growled, "No."

He sat her on a cardboard box and looked around, reaching for a roll of paper towels and unwrapping them.

"Lean back," he told her.

May did, propping herself on her elbows and spreading her legs for him. He growled as he stared down at her, before lowering his head to her inner thighs. May heard him breath in deeply, and felt another wave of arousal pulse through her.

"May," Jericho growled.

"I can't help it," she whispered, "you make me crazy."  
Jericho slowly cleaned her, using the towels to catch his release. His fingers traced her lightly after he had crumpled up the towel, "I wish I could leave it there," he said, almost to himself, "I love seeing you covered in our essence."

May pulled down her skirt and held out a hand to Jericho, who helped her to her feet.

"Hurry up," she said, her voice husky, "I want to drop these off. Then you're taking me home, and you're going to come inside me again, and then? You're going to come all over me."  
Jericho growled, "That," he said, "is a good plan."

He took the papers from her hand, "Stay here," he directed, "I move faster than you."

May sighed and handed him the papers. She couldn't imagine what Trisha would think when he dropped them off. Then again, she thought, she had met Slade, and she had a feeling that he and Trisha probably spent a good amount of time in a supply closet as well.

The door opened and Jericho stepped through, "Let's go," he said, holding out a hand.

May followed him, moving as fast as her foot would allow her, until Jericho punched the button for the elevator. It opened up, Jericho swept her inside.

A New Species took a step toward the elevator before May saw him wrinkle his nose, "I'll get the next one," he said.

"Good choice," Jericho replied, as the doors closed.

The elevator had started its descent before May dared look at him. His eyes were narrowed and his teeth clenched. _God,_ she thought, _he is so handsome._

Jericho met her eyes and groaned before taking a step forward and smashing the emergency stop. He turned on her, his gaze focused. May took a step back into the wall, "Here?" she squeaked.

Jericho looked up into the corners of the elevator, "Yes," he said, stepping toward her.

"Now?" she asked, a little breathlessly, her arousal overcoming her shyness.

"Now," he answered.

"This elevator is going to smell like us all day," she warned, smiling, and spreading her legs apart.

Jericho growled, watching her, "Good," he said, "I want everyone to know that you're mine."

May sighed as he pressed his body against hers and licked her neck, "And you're mine," she whispered, "forever."

* * *

 _Thank you so much for reading Jericho. I hope that you enjoyed it. I know it took me a while to complete, so I appreciate your patience! ~ Ripley_


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